Ensure children's rights

Authorities should work to address 'ghost children' problem

People celebrated the 95th Children's Day on Sunday, commemorating it as a national holiday. Most children must have enjoyed the special day for them; but we cannot say that every child has the same level of happiness. The day left something to think about sincerely, namely their rights.

Accidents that harm children still take place one after another. Cases of child abuse and violence against the children by parents or teachers at nurseries frequently make headlines. Recently, a 12-year-old middle school girl was killed by her stepfather with the connivance of her biological mother. Many children from poor families are suffering from poverty and malnutrition.

The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child signed in 1989 requires that the ratifying states must act in the best interests of the child. It makes clear that every child has basic rights, including the right to life, to their own name and identity, to be raised by their parents within a family or cultural grouping, and to have a relationship with both parents, even if they are separated.

First of all, the rights of children stem from legal protections. once a child is born, he or she must be registered publicly to benefit from programs for livelihood, education and medical care. The solidarity of nonprofit organizations finds about 300 babies to be "ghost children" every year. Since their parents do not register their births, they cannot fully enjoy legal protection. They have no chance to enter school and can become victims of human trafficking.

The National Assembly ratified the U.N. convention in 1991. As a ratifying state, the government and the Assembly have to rewrite laws related to birth registration, so that any new births are registered automatically. In particular, the government needs to provide the children of international refugees born here with humanitarian aid according to the U.N. convention.