Indivisibility of Convention Articles

One of the greatest strengths of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is that all articles of the Convention are inter-related and indivisible. Articles other than 31 have direct implications for children’s play. For example, article 3 states that, in all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration; article 12 gives the child the right to express his/her views freely and have them considered.

The Convention also states that education should be directed to a broad range of developmental areas, including the child’s personality, talents, and mental and physical abilities (article 29). Play and recreation activities can play a significant role in fulfilling the child’s right to “the highest attainable standard of health” and to “preventive health care”, as set out in article 24. Article 23 gives children with disabilities the right to recreation and the fullest possible social integration and individual development.

Article 30 states that children of ethno-cultural minorities, or of indigenous origin, have the right to enjoy their own culture, which would include their own forms of play/recreation. Play and recreation also has relevance to article 19 (violence against children) in that they have both preventive and therapeutic values and help build resilience. Adults have a responsibility to ensure that children have safe environments and materials for their leisure activities. These are just a few examples of the relevance of the Convention to children’s play.