Because I Exist Too: International Children's Rights Day

The Joint Committee for Human Rights of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH PA), in cooperation with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), held a Conference today on the occasion of November 20th, International Children's Rights Day, titled "Because I Exist Too", reports the Patria News Agency.

International Children's Rights Day has been celebrated worldwide since November 20, 1989, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The celebration of International Children's Rights Day aims to raise public and institutional awareness of the need to protect minors from abuse, violence, and various forms of discrimination.

As highlighted at the Conference, children are born with fundamental freedoms and rights that belong to all human beings. However, as explained, given their physical and psychological immaturity, the need to emphasize the special rights of children to protection arising from this fact becomes apparent. This is precisely the fundamental starting point of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, it was stated today.

It was also emphasized that, on the occasion of International Children's Rights Day, the aim is to draw attention to the scale of problems faced by children with special needs and to solve them, but also to specifically highlight the experiences of parents regarding socio-administrative obstacles, discrimination, intolerance, neglect, and other problems.

It was stated that the Council of Ministers of BiH adopted a decision on the formation of the Council for Children of BiH in December 2012, but it was concluded that a small number of parents and the public in general are aware of its existence and responsibilities.

It was stated that it is high time for our country to take responsibility for the current situation in this area and to finally start advocating for equal rights for children throughout BiH.