Conference yukon::christian_v7

UNGA Doc A/RES/44/25 (12 December 1989) with Annex
 
 
CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD *
 
  The General Assembly,
 
  Recalling its previous resolutions, especially resolutions 33/166 of 20
December 1978 and 43/112 of 8 December 1988, and those of the Commission on
Human Rights and the Economic and Social Council related to the question of
a convention on the rights of the child,
 
  Taking note, in particular, of Commission on Human Rights resolution
1989/57 of 8 March 1989, by which the Commission decided to transmit the
draft convention on the rights of the child, through the Economic and
Social Council, to the General Assembly, and Economic and Social Council
resolution 1989/79 of 24 May 1989,
 
  Reaffirming that children's rights require special protection and call
for continuous improvement of the situation of children all over the world,
as well as for their development and education in conditions of peace and
security,
 
  Profoundly concerned that the situation of children in many parts of the
world remains critical as a result of inadequate social conditions, natural
disasters, armed conflicts, exploitation, illiteracy, hunger and
disability, and convinced that urgent and effective national and
international action is called for,
 
  Mindful of the important role of the United Nations Children's Fund and
of that of the United Nations in promoting the well-being of children and
their development,
 
  Convinced that an international convention on the rights of the child, as
a standard-setting accomplishment of the United Nations in the field of
human rights, would make a positive contribution to protecting children's
rights and ensuring their well-being,
 
  Bearing in mind that 1989 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the
Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the tenth anniversary of the
International Year of the Child,
 
  1. Expresses its appreciation to the Commission on Human Rights for
having concluded the elaboration of the draft convention on the rights of
the child;
 
  2. Adopts and opens for signature, ratification and accession the
Convention on the Rights of the Child contained in the annex to the present
resolution;
 
  3. Calls upon all Member States to consider signing and ratifying or
acceding to the Convention as a matter of priority and expresses the hope
that it will come into force at an early date;
 
  4. Requests the Secretary-General to provide all the facilities and
assistance necessary for dissemination of information on the Convention;
 
  5. Invites United Nations agencies and organizations, as well as
intergoverrunental and non-governmental organizations, to intensify their
efforts with a view to disseminating information on the Convention and to
promoting its understanding;
 
  6. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at
its forty-fifth session a report on the status of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child;
 
  7. Decides to consider the report of the Secretary-General at its
forty-fifth session under an item entitled "Implementation of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child".
 
  61st plenary meeting
 
  20 November 1989
 
  ANNEX
 
 
                   Convention on the Rights of the Child
 
 
 
PREAMBLE
 
  The States Parties to the present Convention,
 
  Considering that, in accordance with the principles proclaimed in the
Charter of the United Nations, recognition of the inherent dignity and of
the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
 
  Bearing in mind that the peoples of the United Nations have, in the
Charter, reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights and in the
dignity and worth of the human person, and have determined to promote
social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
 
  Recognizing that the United Nations has, in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and in the International Covenants on Human Rights, proclaimed
and agreed that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set
forth therein, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin,
property, birth or other status,
 
  Recalling that, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United
Nations has proclaimed that childhood is entitled to special care and
assistance,
 
  Convinced that the family, as the fundamental group of society and the
natural environment for the growth and well-being of all its members and
particularly children, should be afforded the necessary protection and
assistance so that it can fully assume its responsibilities within the
community,
 
  Recognizing that the child, for the full and harmonious development of
his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an
atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding,
 
  Considering that the child should be fully prepared to live an individual
life in society, and brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in
the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of
peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity,
 
  Bearing in mind that the need to extend particular care to the child has
been stated in the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child of 1924
and in the Declaration of the Rights of the Child adopted by the General
Assembly on 20 November 1959 and recognized in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(in particular in articles 23 and 24), in the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and  Cultural Rights (in particular in article 10) and in
the statutes and relevant instruments of specialized agencies and
international organizations concerned with the welfare of children,
 
  Bearing in mind that, as indicated in the Declaration of the Rights of
the Child, "the child, by reason of his physical and mental immaturity,
needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection,
before as well as after birth",
 
  Recalling the provisions of the Declaration on Social and Legal
Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children, with Special
Reference to Foster Placement and Adoption Nationally and Internationally;
the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of
Juvenile justice (The Beijing Rules); and the Declaration on the Protection
of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict,
 
  Recognizing that, in all countries in the world, there are children
living in exceptionally difficult conditions, and that such children need
special consideration,
 
  Taking due account of the importance of the traditions and cultural
values of each people for the protection and harmonious development of the
child,
 
  Recognizing the importance of international co-operation for improving
the living conditions of children in every country, in particular in the
developing countries,
 
  Have agreed as follows:
 
                                 PART I
 
  Article 1
 
  For the purposes of the present Convention, a child means every human
being below the age of eighteen years unless, under the law applicable to
the child, majority is attained earlier.
 
  Article 2
 
1. States Parties shall respect and ensure the rights set forth in the
present Convention to each child within their jurisdiction without
discrimination of any kind, irrespective of the child's or his or her
parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex, language, religion,
political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property,
disability, birth or other status.
 
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the
child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment on the
basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the
child's parents, legal guardians, or family members.
 
  Article 3
 
  1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or
private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative
authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be
a primary consideration.
 
2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as
is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and
duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally
responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate
legislative and administrative measures.
 
3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and
facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform
with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in
the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff,
as well as competent supervision.
 
  Article 4
 
  States Parties shall undertake all appropriate legislative,
administrative, and other measures for the implementation of the rights
recognized in the present Convention. With regard to economic, social and
cultural rights, States Parties shall undertake such measures to the
maximum extent of their available resources and, where needed, within the
framework of international co-operation.
 
  Article 5
 
  States Parties shall respect the responsibilities, rights and duties of
parents or, where applicable, the members of the extended family or
community as provided for by local custom, legal guardians or other persons
legally responsible for the child, to provide, in a manner consistent with
the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance in
the exercise by the child of the rights recognized in the present
Convention.
 
  Article 6
 
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to
life.
 
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival
and development of the child.
 
  Article 7
 
1. The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the
right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and, as far
as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents.
 
2. States Parties shall ensure the implementation of these rights in
accordance with their national law and their obligations under the relevant
international instruments in this field, in particular where the child
would otherwise be stateless.
 
  Article 8
 
1. States Parties undertake to respect the right of the child to preserve
his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations as
recognized by law without unlawful interference.
 
2. Where a child is illegally deprived of some or all of the elements of
his or her identity, States Parties shall provide appropriate assistance
and protection, with a view to speedily re-establishing his or her
identity.
 
Article 9
 
1. States Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his
or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities
subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and
procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the
child. Such determination may be necessary in a particular case such as one
involving abuse or neglect of the child by the parents, or one where the
parents are living separately and a decision must be made as to the child's
place of residence.
 
2. In any proceedings pursuant to paragraph 1 of the present article, all
interested parties shall be given an opportunity to participate in the
proceedings and make their views known.
 
3. States Parties shall respect the right of the child who is separated
from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact
with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the
child's best interests.
 
4. Where such separation results from any action initiated by a State
Party, such as the detention, imprisonment, exile, deportation or death
(including death arising from any cause while the person is in the custody
of the State) of one or both parents or of the child, that State Party
shall, upon request, provide the parents, the child or, if appropriate,
another member of the family with the essential information concerning the
whereabouts of the absent member(s) of the family unless the provision of
the information would be detrimental to the well-being of the child. States
Parties shall further ensure that the submission of such a request shall of
itself entail no adverse consequences for the person(s) concerned.
 
  Article 10
 
1. In accordance with the obligation of States Parties under article 9,
paragraph 1, applications by a child or his or her parents to enter or
leave a State Party for the purpose of family reunification shall be dealt
with by States Parties in a positive, humane and expeditious manner. States
Parties shall further ensure that the submission of such a request shall
entail no adverse consequences for the applicants and for the members of
their family.
 
2. A child whose parents reside in different States shall have the right to
maintain on a regular basis, save in exceptional circumstances personal
relations and direct contacts with both parents. Towards that end and in
accordance with the obligation of States Parties under article 9, paragraph
2, States Parties shall respect the right of the child and his or her
parents to leave any country, including their own, and to enter their own
country. The right to leave any country shall be subject only to such
restrictions as are prescribed by law and which are necessary to protect
the national security, public order (ordre public), public health or morals
or the rights and freedoms of others and are consistent with the other
rights recognized in the present Convention.
 
  Article 11
 
1. States Parties shall take measures to combat the illicit transfer and
non-return of children abroad.
 
2. To this end, States Parties shall promote the conclusion of bilateral or
multilateral agreements or accession to existing agreements.
 
  Article 12
 
1. States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his
or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters
affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in
accordance with the age and maturity of the child.
 
2. For this purpose, the child shall in particular be provided the
opportunity to be heard in any judicial and administrative proceedings
affecting the child, either directly, or through a representative or an
appropriate body, in a manner consistent with the procedural rules of
national law.
 
  Article 13
 
1. The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right
shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of
all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print,
in the form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice.
 
2. The exercise of this right may be subject to certain restrictions, but
these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary:
 
  (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; or{  (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre
public), or of public health or morals.
 
 
  Article 14
 
1. States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion.
 
2. States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and,
when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the
exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving
capacities of the child.
 
3. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs may be subject only to
such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect
public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and
freedoms of others.
 
  Article 15
 
1. States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of
association and to freedom of peaceful assembly.
 
2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of these rights other than
those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a
democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety,
public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or
the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
 
  Article 16
 
1. No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with
his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks
on his or her honour and reputation.
 
2. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such
interference or attacks.
 
  Article 17
 
  States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass
media and shall ensure that the child has access to information and
material from a diversity of national and international sources, especially
those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral
well-being and physical and mental health. To this end, States Parties
shall:
 
  (a) Encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of
social and cultural benefit to the child and in accordance with the spirit
of article 29;
 
  (b) Encourage international co-operation in the production, exchange and
dissemination of such information and material from a diversity of
cultural, national and international sources;
 
  (c) Encourage the production and dissemination of children's books;
 
  (d) Encourage the mass media to have particular regard to the linguistic
needs of the child who belongs to a minority group or who is indigenous;
 
  (e) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines for the
protection of the child from information and material injurious to his or
her well-being, bearing in mind the provisions of articles 13 and 18.
 
  Article 18
 
1. States Parties shall use their best efforts to ensure recognition of the
principle that both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing
and development of the child. Parents or, as the case may be, legal
guardians, have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and
development of the child. The best interests of the child will be their
basic concern.
 
2. For the purpose of guaranteeing and promoting the rights set forth in
the present Convention, States Parties shall render appropriate assistance
to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their child-rearing
responsibilities and shall ensure the development of institutions,
facilities and services for the care of children.
 
3. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that
children of working parents have the right to benefit from child-care
services and facilities for which they are eligible.
 
  Article 19
 
1. States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative,
social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of
physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent
treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in
the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the
care of the child
 
2. Such protective measures should, as appropriate, include effective
procedures for the establishment of social programmes to provide necessary
support for the child and for those who have the care of the child, as well
as for other forms of prevention and for identification, reporting,
referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up of instances of child
maltreatment described heretofore, and, as appropriate, for judicial
involvement.
 
  Article 20
 
1. A child temporarily or permanently deprived of his or her family
environment, or in whose own best interests cannot be allowed to remain in
that environment, shall be entitled to special protection and assistance
provided by the State.
 
2. States Parties shall in accordance with their national laws ensure
alternative care for such a child.
 
3. Such care could include, inter alia, foster placement, kafalah of
Islamic law, adoption or if necessary placement in suitable institutions
for the care of children. When considering solutions, due regard shall be
paid to the desirability of continuity in a child's upbringing and to the
child's ethnic, religious, cultural and linguistic background.
 
  Article 21
 
  States Parties that recognize and/or permit the system of adoption shall
ensure that the best interests of the child shall be the paramount
consideration and they shall:
 
  (a) Ensure that the adoption of a child is authorized only by competent
authorities who determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures
and on the basis of all pertinent and reliable information, that the
adoption is permissible in view of the child's status concerning parents,
relatives and legal guardians and that, if required, the persons concerned
have given their informed consent to the adoption on the basis of such
counselling as may be necessary;
 
  (b) Recognize that inter-country adoption may be considered as an
alternative means of child's care, if the child cannot be placed in a
foster or an adoptive family or cannot in any suitable manner be cared for
in the child's country of origin;
 
  (c) Ensure that the child concerned by inter-country adoption enjoys
safeguards and standards equivalent to those existing in the case of
national adoption;
 
(d) Take all appropriate measures to ensure that, in inter-country
adoption, the placement does not result in improper financial gain for
those involved in it;
 
(e) Promote, where appropriate, the objectives of the present article by
concluding bilateral or multilateral arrangements or agreements, and
endeavour, within this framework, to ensure that the placement of the child
in another country is carried out by competent authorities or organs.
 
  Article 22
 
1. States Parties shall take appropriate measures to ensure that a child
who is seeking refugee status or who is considered a refugee in accordance
with applicable international or domestic law and procedures shall, whether
unaccompanied or accompanied by his or her parents or by any other person,
receive appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance in the enjoyment
of applicable rights set forth in the present Convention and in other
international human rights or humanitarian instruments to which the said
States are Parties.
 
2. For this purpose, States Parties shall provide, as they consider
appropriate, co-operation in any efforts by the United Nations and other
competent intergovernmental organizations or non-governmental organizations
co-operating with the United Nations to protect and assist such a child and
to trace the parents or other members of the family of any refugee child in
order to obtain information necessary for reunification with his or her
family  In cases where no parents or other members of the family can be
found, the child shall be accorded the same protection as any other child
permanently or temporarily deprived of his or her family environment for
any reason, as set forth in the present Convention.
 
 Article 23
 
1. States Parties recognize that a mentally or physically disabled child
should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity,
promote self-reliance and facilitate the child's active participation in
the community
 
2. States Parties recognize the right of the disabled child to special care
and shall encourage and ensure the extension, subject to available
resources, to the eligible child and those responsible for his or her care,
of assistance for which application is made and which is appropriate to the
child's condition and to the circumstances of the parents or others caring
for the child.
 
3. Recognizing the special needs of a disabled child, assistance extended
in accordance with paragraph 2 of the present article shall be provided
free of charge, whenever possible, taking into account the financial
resources of the parents or others caring for the child, and shall be
designed to ensure that the disabled child has effective access to and
receives education, training, health care services, rehabilitation
services, preparation for employment and recreation opportunities in a
manner conducive to the child's achieving the fullest possible social
integration and individual development, including his or her cultural and
spiritual development.
 
4. States Parties shall promote, in the spirit of international
co-operation, the exchange of appropriate information in the field of
preventive health care and of medical, psychological and functional
treatment of disabled children, including dissemination of and access to
information concerning methods of rehabilitation, education and vocational
services, with the aim of enabling States Parties to improve their
capabilities and skills and to widen their experience in these areas. In
this regard, particular account shall be taken of the needs of developing
countries.
 
  Article 24
 
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the
highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment
of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to
ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such
health care services  forth in the present Convention and in other
international human rights or humanitarian instruments to which the said
States are Parties.
 
2. For this purpose, States Parties shall provide, as they consider
appropriate, co-operation in any efforts by the United Nations and other
competent intergovernmental organizations or non-governmental organizations
cooperating with the United Nations to protect and assist such a child and
to trace the parents or other members of the family of any refugee child in
order to obtain information necessary for reunification with his or her
family. In cases where no parents or other members of the family can be
found, the child shall be accorded the same protection as any other child
permanently or temporarily deprived of his or her family environment for
any reason, as set forth in the present Convention.
 
2  States Parties shall pursue full implementation of this right and, in
particular, shall take appropriate measures:
 
  (a) To diminish infant and child mortality;
 
  (b) To ensure the provision of necessary medical assistance and health
care to all children with emphasis on the development of primary health
care;
 
  (c) To combat disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of
primary health care, through, iner alia, the application of readily
available technology and through the provision of adequate nutritious foods
and clean drinking-water, taking into consideration the dangers and risks
of environmental pollution;
 
  (d) To ensure appropriate pre-natal and post-natal health care for
mothers;
 
  (e) To ensure that all segments of society, in particular parents and
children, are informed, have access to education and are supported in the
use of basic knowledge of child health and nutrition, the advantages of
breast-feeding, hygiene and environmental sanitation and the prevention of
accidents;
 
  (f) To develop preventive health care, guidance for parents and family
planning education and services.
 
3. States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a
view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of
children.
 
4. States Parties undertake to promote and encourage international
co-operation with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of
the right recognized in the present article. In this regard, particular
account shall be taken of the needs of developing countries.
 
  Article 25
 
  States Parties recognize the right of a child who has been placed by the
competent authorities for the purposes of care, protection or treatment of
his or her physical or mental health, to a periodic review of the treatment
provided to the child and all other circumstances relevant to his or her
placement.
 
  Article 26
 
1. States Parties shall recognize for every child the right to benefit from
social security, including social insurance, and shall take the necessary
measures to achieve the full realization of this right in accordance with
their national law.
 
2. The benefits should, where appropriate, be granted, taking into account
the resources and the circumstances of the child and persons having
responsibility for the maintenance of the child, as well as any other
consideration relevant to an application for benefits made by or on behalf
of the child.
 
  Article 27
 
1. States Parties recognize the right of every child to a standard of
living adequate for the child's physical, mental, spiritual, moral and
social development.
 
2. The parent(s) or others responsible for the child have the primary
responsibility to secure, within their abilities and financial capacities,
the conditions of living necessary for the child's development.
 
3. States Parties, in accordance with national conditions and within their
means, shall take appropriate measures to assist parents and others
responsible for the child to implement this right and shall in case of need
provide material assistance and support programmes, particularly with
regard to nutrition, clothing and housing.
 
4. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to secure the
recovery of maintenance for the child from the parents or other persons
having financial responsibility for the child, both within the State Party
and from abroad. In particular, where the person having financial
responsibility for the child lives in a State different from that of the
child, States Parties shall promote the accession to international
agreements or the conclusion of such agreements, as well as the making of
other appropriate arrangements.
 
  Article 28
 
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to education, and with a
view to achieving this right progressively and on the basis of equal
opportunity, they shall, in particular:
 
  (a) Make primary education compulsory and available free to all;
 
  (b) Encourage the development of different forms of secondary education,
including general and vocational education, make them available and
accessible to every child, and take appropriate measures such as the
introduction of free education and offering financial assistance in case of
need;
 
  (c) Make higher education accessible to all on the basis of capacity by
every appropriate means;
 
  (d) Make educational and vocational information and guidance available
and accessible to all children;
 
  (e) Take measures to encourage regular attendance at schools and the
reduction of drop-out rates.
 
2. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that school
discipline is administered in a manner consistent with the child's human
dignity and in conformity with the present Convention.
 
3. States Parties shall promote and encourage international co-operation in
matters relating to education, in particular with a view to contributing to
the elimination of ignorance and illiteracy throughout the world and
facilitating access to scientific and technical knowledge and modern
teaching methods. In this regard, particular account shall be taken of the
needs of developing countries.
 
 Article 29
 
1. States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed
to:
 
  (a) The development of the child's personality, talents and mental and
physical abilities to their fullest potential;
 
  (b) The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
  (c) The development of respect for the child's parents, his or her own
cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the
country in which the child is living; the country from which he or she may
originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own;
 
  (d) The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society,
in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and
friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and
persons of indigenous origin;
 
  (e) The development of respect for the natural environment.
 
2. No part of the present article or article 28 shall be construed so as to
interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to establish and
direct educational institutions, subject always to the observance of the
principles set forth in paragraph 1 of the present article and to the
requirements that the education given in such institutions shall conform to
such minimum standards as may be laid down by the State.
 
  Article 30
 
  In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or
persons of indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a minority or
who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, in community with other
members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess
and practise his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.
 
@ Article 31
 
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to
engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the
child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
 
2. States Parties shall respect and promote the right of the child to
participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the
provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic,
recreational and leisure activity.
 
  Article 32
 
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from
economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be
hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to
the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social
development.
 
2. States Parties shall take legislative, administrative, social and
educational measures to ensure the implementation of the present article.
To this end, and having regard to the relevant provisions of other
international instruments, States Parties shall in particular:
 
  (a) Provide for a minimum age or minimum ages for admission to
employment;
 
  (b) Provide for appropriate regulation of the hours and conditions of
employment;
 
  (c) Provide for appropriate penalties or other sanctions to ensure the,
effective enforcement of the present article.
 
  Article 33
 
  States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including
legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect
children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances
as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use
of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.
 
  Article 34
 
  States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual
exploitation and sexual abuse. For these purposes, States Parties shall in
particular take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral
measures to prevent:
 
  (a) The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful
sexual activity;
 
  (b) The exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful
sexual practices;
 
  The exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and
materials
 
  Article 35
 
  States Parties shall take all appropriate national, bilateral and
multilateral measures to prevent the abduction of, the sale of or traffic
in children for any purpose or in any form.
 
  Article 36
 
  States Parties shall protect the child against all other forms of
exploitation prejudicial to any aspects of the child's welfare.
 
  Article 37
 
  States Parties shall ensure that:
 
 (a) No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life
imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences
committed by persons below eighteen years of age;
 
  (b) No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or
arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in
conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort
and for the shortest appropriate period of time;
 
  (c) Every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and
respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which
takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age. In particular,
every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is
considered in the child's best interest not to do so and shall have the
right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and
visits, save in exceptional circumstances;
 
  (d) Every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to
prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the
right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty
before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and
to a prompt decision on any such action.
 
  Article 38
 
1. States Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for rules of
international humanitarian law applicable to them in armed conflicts which
are relevant to the child.
 
2. States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons
who have not attained the age of fifteen years do not take a direct part in
hostilities.
 
3. States Parties shall refrain from recruiting any person who has not
attained the age of fifteen years into their armed forces. In recruiting
among those persons who have attained the age of fifteen years but who have
not attained the age of eighteen years, States Parties shall endeavour to
give priority to those who are oldest.
 
4. In accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian
law to protect the civilian population in armed conflicts, States Parties
shall take all feasible measures to ensure protection and care of children
who are affected by an armed conflict.
 
  Article 39
 
  States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to promote physical
and psychological recovery and social reintegration of a child victim of:
any form of neglect, exploitation, or abuse; torture or any other form of
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; or armed conflicts.
Such recovery and reintegration shall take place in an environment which
fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
 
  Article 40
 
1. States Parties recognize the right of every child alleged as, accused
of, or recognized as having infringed the penal law to be treated in a
manner consistent with the promotion of the child's sense of dignity and
worth, which reinforces the child's respect for the human rights and
fundamental freedoms of others and which takes into account the child's age
and the desirability of promoting the child's reintegration and the child's
assuming a constructive role in society.
 
2. To this end, and having regard to the relevant provisions of
international instruments, States Parties shall, in particular, ensure
that:
 
  (a) No child shall be alleged as, be accused of, or recognized as having
infringed the penal law by reason of acts or omissions that were not
prohibited by national or international law at the time they were
committed;
 
  (b) Every child alleged as or accused of having infringed the penal law
has at least the following guarantees:
 
(i) To be presumed innocent until proven guilty according to law;
 
(ii) To be informed promptly and directly of the charges against him or
her, and, if appropriate, through his or her parents or legal guardians,
and to have legal or other appropriate assistance in the preparation and
presentation of his or her defence;
 
(iii) To have the matter determined without delay by a competent,
independent and impartial authority or judicial body in a fair hearing
according to law, in the presence of legal or other appropriate assistance
and, unless it is considered not to be in the best interest of the child,
in particular, taking into account his or her age or situation, his or her
parents or legal guardians;
 
(iv) Not to be compelled to give testimony or to confess quilt; to examine
or have examined adverse witnesses and to obtain the participation and
examination of witnesses on his or her behalf under conditions of equality;
 
(v) If considered to have infringed the penal law, to have this decision
and any measures imposed in consequence thereof reviewed by a higher
competent, independent and impartial authority or judicial body according
to law;
 
(vi) To have the free assistance of an interpreter if the child cannot
understand or speak the language used;
 
(vii) To have his or her privacy fully respected at all stages of the
proceedings.
 
3. States Parties shall seek to promote the establishment of laws,
procedures, authorities and institutions specifically applicable to
children alleged as, accused of, or recognized as having infringed the
penal law, and, in particular:
 
  (a) The establishment of a minimum age below which children shall be
presumed not to have the capacity to infringe the penal law;
 
  (b) Whenever appropriate and desirable, measures for dealing with such
children without resorting to judicial proceedings, providing that human
rights and legal safeguards are fully respected.
 
4. A variety of dispositions, such as care, guidance and supervision
orders; counselling; probation; foster care; education and vocational
training programmes and other alternatives to institutional care shall be
available to ensure that children are dealt with in a manner appropriate to
their well-being and proportionate both to their circumstances and the
offence.
 
  Article 41
 
  Nothing in the present Convention shall affect any provisions which are
more conducive to the realization of the rights of the child and which may
be contained in:
 
  (a) The law of a State Party; or
 
  (b) International law in force for that State.
 
 
                             PART II
 
  Article 42
 
  States Parties undertake to make the principles and provisions of the
Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and
children alike.
 
  Article 43
 
1. For the purpose of examining the progress made by States Parties in
achieving the realization of the obligations undertaken in the present
Convention, there shall be established a Committee on the Rights of the
Child, which shall carry out the functions hereinafter provided.
 
2. The Committee shall consist of ten experts of high moral standing and
recognized competent in the field covered by this Convention. The members
of the Committee shall be elected by States Parties from among their
nationals and shall serve in their personal capacity, consideration being
given to equitable geographical distribution, as well as to the principal
legal systems.
 
3. The members of the Committee shall be elected by secret ballot from a
list of persons nominated by States Parties. Each State Party may nominate
one person from among its own nationals.
 
4. The initial election to the Committee shall be held no later than six
months after the date of the entry into force of the present Convention and
thereafter every second year. At least four months before the date of each
election, the Secretary-General of the United Nations shall address a
letter to States Parties inviting them to submit their nominations within
two months. The Secretary-General shall subsequently prepare a list in
alphabetical order of all persons thus nominated, indicating States Parties
which have nominated them, and shall submit it to the States Parties to the
present Convention.
 
5. The elections shall be held at meetings of States Parties convened by
the Secretary-General at United Nations Headquarters. At those meetings,
for which two thirds of States Parties shall constitute a quorum, the
persons elected to the Committee shall be those who obtain the largest
number of votes and an absolute majority of the votes of the
representatives of States Parties present and voting.
 
6. The members of the Committee shall be elected for a term of four years
They shall be eligible for re-election if renominated. The term of five of
the members elected at the first election shall expire at the end of two
years; immediately after the first election, the names of these five
members shall be chosen by lot by the Chairman of the meeting.
 
7. If a member of the Committee dies or resigns or declares that for any
other cause he or she can no longer perform the duties of the Committee,
the State Party which nominated the member shall appoint another expert
from among its nationals to serve for the remainder of the term, subject to
the approval of the Committee.
 
8. The Committee shall establish its own rules of procedure.
 
9. The Committee shall elect its officers for a period of two years.
 
10. The meetings of the Committee shall normally be held at United Nations
Headquarters or at any other convenient place as determined by the
Committee  The Committee shall normally meet annually. The duration of the
meetings of the Committee shall be determined, and reviewed, it necessary,
by a meeting of the States Parties to the present Convention, subject to
the approval of the General Assembly.
 
11. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall provide the necessary
staff and facilities for the effective performance of the functions of the
Committee under the present Convention.
 
12. With the approval of the General Assembly, the members of the Committee
established under the present Convention shall receive emoluments from
United Nations resources on such terms and conditions as the Assembly may
decide.
 
  Article 44
 
1. States Parties undertake to submit to the Committee, through the
Secretary-General of the United Nations, reports on the measures they have
adopted which give effect to the rights recognized herein and on the
progress made on the enjoyment of those rights:
 
  (a) Within two years of the entry into force of the Convention for the
State Party concerned;
 
  (b) Thereafter every five years.
 
2. Reports made under the present article shall indicate factors and
difficulties, if any, affecting the degree of fulfillment of the
obligations under the present Convention. Reports shall also contain
sufficient information to provide the Committee with a comprehensive
understanding of the implementation of the Convention in the country
concerned.
 
3. A State Party which has submitted a comprehensive initial report to the
Committee need not, in its subsequent reports submitted in accordance with
paragraph 1 (b) of the present article, repeat basic information previously
provided.
 
4. The Committee may request from States Parties further information
relevant to the implementation of the Convention.
 
5. The Committee shall submit to the General Assembly, through the Economic
and Social Council, every two years, reports on its activities.
 
6. States Parties shall make their reports widely available to the public
in their own countries.
 
  Article 45
 
  In order to foster the effective implementation of the Convention and to
encourage international co-operation in the field covered by the
Convention:
 
  (a) The specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund, and
other United Nations organs shall be entitled to be represented at the
consideration of the implementation of such provisions of the present
Convention as fall within the scope of their mandate. The Committee may
invite the specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund and
other competent bodies as it may consider appropriate to provide expert
advice on the implementation of the Convention in areas falling within the
scope of their respective mandates. The Committee may invite the
specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund, and other United
Nations organs to submit reports on the implementation of the Convention in
areas falling within the scope of their activities;
 
  (b) The Committee shall transmit, as it may consider appropriate, to the
specialized agencies, the United Nations Children's Fund and other
competent bodies, any reports from States Parties that contain a request,
or indicate a need, for technical advice or assistance, along with the
Committee's observations and suggestions, if any, on these requests or
indications;
 
  (c) The Committee may recommend to the General Assembly to request the
Secretary-General to undertake on its behalf studies on specific issues
relating to the rights of the child;
 
  (d) The Committee may make suggestions and general recommendations based
on information received pursuant to articles 44 and 45 of the present
Convention  Such suggestions and general recommendations shall be
transmitted to any State Party concerned and reported to the General
Assembly, together with comments, if any, from States Parties.
 
 
                             PART III
 
  Article 46
 
  The present Convention shall be open for signature by all States.
 
  Article 47
 
  The present Convention is subject to ratification. Instruments of
ratification shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United
Nations.
 
  Article 48
 
  The present Convention shall remain open for accession by any State. The
instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of
the United Nations.
 
  Article 49
 
1. The present Convention shall enter into force on the thirtieth day
following the date of deposit with the Secretary-General of the United
Nations of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession.
2. For each State ratifying or acceding to the Convention after the deposit
of
the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession, the Convention shall
enter into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit by such State of
its instrument of ratification or accession.
 
  Article 50
 
1. Any State Party may propose an amendment and file it with the
Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General shall
thereupon communicate the proposed amendment to States Parties, with a
request that they indicate whether they favour a conference of States
Parties for the purpose of considering and voting upon the proposals. In
the event that, within four months from the date of such communication, at
least one third of the States Parties favour such a conference, the
Secretary-General shall convene the conference under the auspices of the
United Nations. Any amendment adopted by a majority of States Parties
present and voting at the conference shall be submitted to the General
Assembly for approval.
 
2. An amendment adopted in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present
article shall enter into force when it has been approved by the General
Assembly of the United Nations and accepted by a two-thirds majority of
States Parties.
 
3. When an amendment enters into force, it shall be binding on those States
Parties which have accepted it, other States Parties still being bound by
the provisions of the present Convention and any earlier amendments which
they have accepted.
 
  Article 51
 
1. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall receive and circulate
to all States the text of reservations made by States at the time of
ratification or accession.
 
2. A reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the present
Convention shall not be permitted.
 
3. Reservations may be withdrawn at any time by notification to that effect
addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall then
inform all States. Such notification shall take effect an the date on which
it is received by the Secretary-General.
 
  Article 52
 
  A State Party may denounce the present Convention by written notification
to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Denunciation becomes
effective one year after the date of receipt of the notification by the
Secretary-General.
 
  Article 53
 
  The Secretary-General of the United Nations is designated as the
depositary of the present Convention.
 
  Article 54
 
  The original of the present Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be
deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
 
  In witness thereof the undersigned plenipotentiaries, being duly
authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed the present
Convention.

 
 
			    September 1993
 
 
		    THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION
		      ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
 
				   
		       AMERICA PREPARES FOR THE
			PARENTAL RIGHTS BATTLE
			    OF THE DECADE
 
     After years of debate within the international community between
politicians and child's rights activists, an agreement was finally
reached in 1988, which for the first time created a comprehensive
charter advancing the agenda of the children's "liberation" movement.
What the child's rights advocates have for over two decades been
unable to accomplish through the normal legislative process may now be
realized in one sweeping blow, should the Clinton Administration push
the Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
The Child. Under the guise of a "child's rights" measure, this wolf in
sheep's clothing could, if passed, substantially undermine the
authority of parents to exercise vitally important responsibilities
toward their children if these responsibilities infringe on the
child's "right" to autonomy and self-expression as defined by a panel
of "experts" appointed by the United Nations.
     If ratified, this treaty could undermine the family by granting
to children a list of radical "rights" which would be primarily
enforced against the parents. These new "fundamental" rights would
include "the right to privacy," "the right to freedom of thought and
association," and the right to "freedom of expression." A fundamental
presumption of the treaty is that parental responsibility exists only
in so far as parents are willing to further the independent choices of
the child.
 
			 THE CONVENTION WOULD
			 REDEFINE FAMILY LAW
			      IN AMERICA
 
     The impact of the Convention is particularly ominous in light of
the fact that the United States Constitution declares treaties to be
the law of the land. Under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause of
Article VI "all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the
Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land;
and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the
Constitution of Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."
     In Missouri v. Holland the Supreme Court held that a treaty made
by the President with the required concurrence of two-thirds of the
Senate is, under the Supremacy Clause of Article VI, section 2, part
of the supreme law which takes precedent over contrary state laws.
Thus, the U.N. Convention would constitute legally binding law in all
50 states. Otherwise valid state laws pertaining to education, the
family, etc., which conflict with the provisions of the treaty will be
subject to invalidation.
     Were this convention to be enforced, the United States would be
required to alter large portions of long established law to cater to
the demands of the United Nations, and the panel of experts they
select to define international standards for child's rights.
 
		      THE CONVENTION WOULD GIVE
		       CHILDREN THE "RIGHT" TO
			  DISREGARD PARENTAL
			      AUTHORITY
 
     Although several of the treaty's provisions offer generally
positive, nonoffensive platitudes, a substantial portion of this
charter undermines parental rights.  The U.N. Convention would: [1]
transfer parental rights and responsibilities to the State; [2]
undermine the family by vesting children with various fundamental
rights which advance notions of the child's autonomy and freedom from
parental guidance; and [3] establish bureaucracies and institutions of
a national and international nature designed to promote "the ideas
proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations" and to investigate
and prosecute parents who violate their children's rights.  Some of
the more relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child are summarized below:
 
THE STATE WILL DETERMINE CHILD'S "BEST INTEREST"
 
Article 3: "In all actions concerning children," the courts, social
service workers and bureaucrats are empowered to regulate families
based on their subjective determination of "the best interest of the
child."  This article shifts the responsibility of parental judgment
and decision making from the family to the State (and ultimately the
United Nations).
 
THE PROVISIONS OF THE TREATY MUST BE ENFORCED
 
Article 4: This provision makes clear that the treaty is not just a
positive affirmation. Signatory nations are bound to "undertake all
appropriate legislative, administrative, and other measures, for the
implementation of the rights" articulated in the Convention.  In fact,
the United States would be required to "undertake measures to the
maximum extent of available resources . . .  within the framework of
international co-operation" in order to restructure society in
accordance with the implementation of these rights.
 
ALL CHILDREN MUST BE REGISTERED
 
Article 7: In order to insure State and U.N. control over their
development, all children must be immediately registered after birth.
 
SEVERE LIMITATIONS ARE PLACED ON THE PARENT'S RIGHT TO DIRECT AND
TRAIN THEIR CHILDREN
 
Article 13: Under this provision, parents could be subject to
prosecution for any attempt to prevent their children from interacting
with material they deemed unacceptable. Children are vested with a
"freedom of expression" right which is virtually absolute.  No
allowance is made for parental guidance.  Section 1 declares a child's
right to "seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds,
regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the
form of art, or through any other media of the child's choice."
 
Article 14: Children are guaranteed "freedom of thought, conscience
and religion."  Children have a legal right to object to all religious
training.  Alternatively, children may assert their right against
parental objection to participate in occult, Muslim or Buddhist
worship services.
 
Article 15: This article declares "the right of the child to freedom
of association."  If this measure were to be taken seriously, parents
could be prevented from forbidding their child to associate with
people deemed to be objectionable companions. Under Article 15,
children could claim a "fundamental" right to join gangs, cults, and
racist organizations over parental objection.  Parental rights and
responsibilities are unmentioned.
 
THE CONVENTION WOULD FURTHER ENTRENCH THE RIGHT OF TEENAGERS TO ABORT
THEIR BABIES
 
     The Convention is not only vague but contradictory when it comes
to the critical issue of the right to life of an unborn child.
Although some might argue that the language of Article 6 would favor
the rights of unborn children, neither abortion nor unborn children
are specifically mentioned.  That provision reads: "Stated Parties
recognize that every child has the inherent right to life."  The fact
that several of the signatory nations not only permit but as a matter
of state policy actively encourage abortions among its citizenry lends
further credibility to the view that this is not a pro-life measure.
 
Article 16: Any positive benefits resulting from the language of
Article 6 are clearly undermined by the "right to privacy" purportedly
granted to children under Article 16.  Although the United States
Constitution nowhere grants a woman the right to abort her baby,
"privacy" was the operative word used by the Court in Roe v. Wade to
create the right to abortion.  This United Nations-sanctioned
"privacy" would seemingly establish as "the law of the land" the
child's right to obtain an abortion without parental notice, the right
to purchase and use contraceptives, the right to heterosexual and
homosexual promiscuity, and the right to pornography in the home.
 
THE STATE MUST ASSIST PARENTS IN THE RAISING OF CHILDREN
 
Article 18: This provision not only encourages two-income families by
granting children a fundamental right to state-subsidized, state-run
child care facilities, but it calls on the State to be co-parent by
rendering "appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in
the performance of their child-rearing responsibilities and shall
ensure the development of institutions, facilities and services for
the care of children."
 
PARENTS WHO DON'T COMPLY MAY BE PROSECUTED
 
Article 19: This provision mandates the creation of an intensive
bureaucracy for the purpose of "identification, reporting, referral,
investigation, treatment, and follow-up" of parents who, in violation
of the child's "rights," treat their children negligently.
 
A PROHIBITION ON CORPORAL PUNISHMENT?
 
Article 28: Education is declared a "right" which is not only to be
universally free, but compulsory.  This section would require that the
United States pass laws and develop an infrastructure geared toward
"encouraging" all school-age Americans to be part of the school
system.  The nations of the world are challenged to unite in the
creation of an internationalist approach to education.  Finally,
parties to the Convention must ensure that school discipline "is
administered in a manner consistent with the child's human dignity" as
defined by the United Nations. Presumably this would prohibit corporal
punishment.
 
EDUCATION FOR THE NEW WORLD ORDER
 
Article 29: It is the goal of the State to direct the education of the
people it governs toward the philosophy of the New World Order as
"enshrined in the charter of the United Nations."  Each child must be
prepared to be a responsible citizen by having "the spirit of
understanding, peace, toleration, equity of sexes, and friendship
[for] all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups of indigenous
origin," including, presumably, cultic, anti-Christian religions, and
those regimes which embody authoritarianism and intolerance.
 
INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS WILL PARENT OUR CHILDREN
 
Article 43: An international committee of 10 "experts" is to be
established to oversee the progress of the implementation of the
Treaty.
 
			   A CALL TO ACTION
				   
     Both the U.S. House and Senate have introduced resolutions
requesting that the President sign the U.N. Convention.  Once a treaty
is signed by the President, it must be ratified by the U.S. Senate.
Because the U.N. Convention is being promoted under the deceptive
guise of a child's rights measure, it is likely that proponents will
portray it as "noncontroversial" and attempt to rush it through the
Senate approval process, in order to eliminate a long and protracted
debate on its merits. Although the Clinton administration has yet to
formally announce plans to sign the U.N. Convention and send it to the
Senate for ratification, President and Mrs.  Clinton have indicated
their strong support of the child's rights agenda advanced by this
treaty.  Mrs. Clinton formerly chaired the Children's Defense Fund, a
leading child's rights lobbying organization which has been a primary
proponent of the U.N Convention.
 
     Currently, there are 110 co-sponsors for House Concurrent
Resolution 15 and over 47 co- sponsors for Senate Resolution 70.
Voice your opposition to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the
Child by contacting your U.S. Representative and Senators.  The
Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 202-224-3121.
 
 
This special report was prepared by Doug Phillips, Director of the
National Center for Home Education.  Permission is granted to reprint
this report in its entirety. National Center for Home Education, P.O.
Box 125, Paeonian Springs, VA 22129 (703) 338-7600.

      Hi Garth,
    
        I just read .0 and .2, but this is way up there in terms of
        being one of the 'most beast-like' (as in Rev 13) things I
        have ever come accross.
    
        Incredible.
    
        I have no use for the United Nations.  I know who's pawn that
        is.  Not a doubt in my mind.
    
                                                  Tony

        To paraphrase former Secy. of Education Bennet, the UN usurpers
        exhibit a confusion of ownership.  They would reduce parents to
	little more than breeders and providers of child support payments.  
	
                Psalm 2:1 Why do the heathen (nations) rage and the people
                imagine a vain thing?

	It's time to start writing letters and making phone calls, folks.
        Though we know that the destiny of the human race is the ultimate
        confrontation with our Maker, I don't believe that He should find
        us asleep at the wheel.  But we must be careful to do so in all
	humility and without hypocrisy.

        It's also time for us Christians to change.  This will come to pass
        largely as a judgement on God's people.  Judgement starts with the
        house of faith.  Most of the worldly folk probably think the UN and
        its ever-expanding charter are great.

                2 Chr 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name,
                shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and
                turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
                and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

        How different are we from the world?  Why do you think we look like
        hypocrites to them?  "That's a Christian??  What do I wanna be one
        of them for?"  Most of them see us as being no different from
        anything else out there.  And where we are different, it's because
        we're "weird" instead of holy and obedient.  It is much more
        important for us to walk uprightly than to spew pious
        pronouncements at those who can't understand "holy talk" from the
        other side of the cross, anyway.

        People will believe our walk much more than any talk or "signs and
        wonders" we can perform. Pharaoh's magicians can perform pretty
        much all the same stuff. What Pharaoh's magicians cannot do is walk
        uprightly in the Lord.  I believe that the following verses apply
        to the things we watch, the clothes we wear, the music we listen
        to, the things we say, the places we go, the things we drink, our
        attitude, every aspect of our lives.  A Christian should be very
        different from the world.  This is not legalism.  It doesn't bring
        salvation or make anyone more spiritual than anyone else, just
        obedient.  

		2 Cor 6:14ff

                Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for
                what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
                and what communion hath light with darkness?

                And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath
                he that believeth with an infidel?

                And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for
                ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
                will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their
                God, and they shall be my people.

                Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
                saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
                receive you.

                And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
                daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

	It took only one righteous man, Josiah, to postpone the judgement
	of the Lord on Judah.  Which of us is as righteous as he, to
	arrest the emerging judgement on our nation?  

	Prayerfully,
		Tony

	Brothers and Sisters.

        The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is close to passage.
        On the surface, this looks like a little piece of innocuous, feel-
        good, global kissy-face, toothless legislation.  In reality, it is
        a treaty that reduces the role of parents to breeders and exalts
        the UN above the authority of Mothers and Fathers.

        For Christians, this has serious deleterious ramifications. Because
        this is a treaty, it will supercede the authority of the
        Constitution and effectively nullify the free exercise of religion
        provision in the first amendment.  Remember, exercise is what you
        do, not what you think. This treaty will have an almost immediate
        impact.  Likely, there are legions of legal luminaries chomping at
        the bit to represent some rebellious child in bringing a challenge
        against our authority as parents under the rubric of this treaty.

	US ambassador to the UN, Madeleine Albright, has already signed it.

	Bill Clinton has already signed it.

	All that's required is for the Senate to pass it.

	Please call and write your Senators as soon as possible and
	register your strident opposition to the adoption of this treaty.

	The next 8 replies are from a 1991 article in the New American
	which details the provisions of this treaty and its ramifications.

	.1	Introduction
	.2	Noble Sounding Rhetoric
	.3	Lone Voice 
	.4	Dangerous Document
	.5	At Odds with Constitution
	.6	Judiciary Blank Check	
	.7	Socialist Manifesto
	.8	Look Who Has Signed
		

*************************************************
* From the New American magazine, June 18, 1991 *
* Reprinted with permission for non-profit      *
* distribution of the Internet.  Repost freely. *
*************************************************

        Child Grab: Why Does The United Nations
        Want To Control Our Kids?

(From a reprint of an article originally  appearing  in  the
New American magazine, June 18, 1991)

    The United Nations World Summit for  Children,  held  in
New York last September, was widely heralded as "the largest
gathering ever of world leaders."  President  Bush,  in  the
midst  of his Persian Gulf military buildup, left Washington
to join the more than 70 other heads of state at the UN  for
the  historic event. The poignant photographs and news clip-
pings of presidents and prime ministers  embracing  adorable
tykes while calling on the world to "save the children" con-
trasted sharply with the alarums of war, and gave  a  softer
edge  to  the  President's daily bugle calls for a new world
order and a strengthened United Nations.

    According to UN organizers, more than a  million  people
around  the  globe  participated  in candlelight vigils that
week, while in New York politicians and entertainment  cele-
brities  jostled  for sound bites and photo opportunities at
the city's numerous summit programs. The summit participants
and media pundits parroted over and over again the litany of
statistics that the Children's Defense Fund and other  self-
proclaimed guardians of the world's children have been using
for years to lobby for ever-larger  socialist  programs  and
expenditures.

    Time magazine and the rest  of  the  usual  collectivist
chorus cheered the summit endorsement of what Tune called "a
bold 10-year plan to  reduce  mortality  rates  and  poverty
among  children  and  to improve access to immunizations and
education."

Noble Sounding Rhetoric

    But the real summit sendoff was  saved  for  the  United
Nations  Convention  on  the Rights of the Child. The UN has
hailed this treaty as "a landmark in  international  efforts
to  strengthen justice, peace and freedom in the world," and
"the most  complete  statement  of  children's  rights  ever
made." James Grant, the director of UNICEF, calls the treaty
a "Magna Carta for children, an instrument  of  far-reaching
significance  for the needs of those who are humanity's most
vulnerable."

    Who could find fault with such lofty aspirations? Almost
no  one, it seems. The Convention has won world support like
no previous treaty. According to the UN's Fact Sheet No. 10,
The Rights of the Child:

          The Convention on the  Rights  of  the  Child  was
          adopted  --  unanimously  -- by the United Nations
          General Assembly on 20 November, 1989....


          After its adoption by the  General  Assembly,  the
          Convention  was opened for signature on 26 January
          1990. Sixty-one countries signed the  document  on
          that day -- a record first-day response....


          The Convention entered into force on  2  September
          1990  -- one month after the twentieth State rati-
          fied it.... A little over seven  months  separated
          the opening for signature and the entry into force
          of the Convention; this is a very short period for
          an international treaty -- generally it takes much
          longer -- and it shows the world-wide interest and
          support for the child Convention.


     [ Photo with caption ]
     More than 70 heads  of state gathered  in  New  York in
     late September  1990 at the  World Summit for Children,
     where many deeded  the  children  of  their  respective
     nations to the care of the "benevolent" United Nations

Lone Voice

    More truthfully,  it  shows  the  effectiveness  of  the
worldwide  propaganda  campaign of the internationalists and
their willingness to  exploit  a  natural  concern  for  the
plight  of children to advance their own new world order. In
the days before the summit, both houses of the U.S. Congress
hurriedly  passed  resolutions  calling on President Bush to
sign the Convention and then  send  it  to  the  Senate  for
ratification  before attending the summit. Opposition to the
Convention was virtually nil. Only Representative Thomas  J.
Bliley (R-VA) rose to urge caution and restraint.

    Bliley  did  not  merely  nitpick   about   commas   and
whereases.  His  reading  of the document left him convinced
that "the Convention represents a potential  threat  to  our
form of government."

    Was he reading the same document as his colleagues? More
likely, he was the only member who did find the time to read
what the Convention  actually  says.  "Will  the  Convention
really  solve  the problems our children face?" Bliley asked
during his remarks in the House on September 17,  1990.  "Is
it merely an article of good intentions to make us feel good
about ourselves? Or, is it actually a  potential  threat  to
some of our most precious freedoms, civil liberties, and our
form of government?"

    The congressman from Virginia pointed out  to  his  col-
leagues  that  there had been no hearings on the treaty that
they were calling on the President to sign. "I submit," said
Bliley,  "that  this House has not taken the time to reflect
upon the implications of the Convention and will be in for a
tremendous shock when judges around the country start apply-
ing the Convention as the supreme law of the land."

    Bliley continued: "Have we determined  the  impact  that
this  Convention  will have on our system of federalism? No.
Have we resolved in our minds its  inherent  conflicts  with
the  U.S. Constitution? I think not. Do we realize the great
new powers  Congress  is  taking  away  from  the  sovereign
States, as well as giving  up itself, to the judiciary?"

     [ photo of child with caption ]
     The UN is using your children as pawns for power


Dangerous Document

    The Convention is a lengthy, complex document  comprised
of  54  articles  dealing  with  adoption,  education, child
labor, child pornography, child abuse, prenatal and  postna-
tal  health  care  for women, family reunification, and many
other issues. Although it is  replete  with  rhetoric  about
"rights"  and  "freedom"  and noble-sounding appeals for the
protection of children, from the standpoint of American con-
stitutional  law  it  is  fundamentally  flawed. Like the UN
Charter  itself  and  the  many  other  UN  conventions   on
"rights,"  it  is based on a philosophy of rights completely
at odds with that which we find in  the  American  Constitu-
tion,  Bill  of Rights, and Declaration of Independence.  In
an op-ed piece in the Washington Times, the  solitary  voice
of  Bliley again warned of the dangers presented by the Con-
vention:

    As written, it places government in a superior  position
to  its  citizens by granting these rights to children. What
is so bad about that? Such an interpretation is antithetical
to our limitations on government. Most of these "rights" are
not presently found in our  Constitution,  but  rather,  are
considered to be among our unalienable rights endowed by our
Creator.

    In the Declaration of Independence, our Founding Fathers
declared  the  fundamental  and revolutionary premise of our
American constitutional system of government that  "all  Men
...  are  endowed  by their Creator with certain unalienable
rights." The Founders went on to  assert,  "That  to  secure
these  Rights,  Governments  are instituted among Men." Note
the sequence of logic: 1) God exists; 2) God creates man and
endows  him  with  rights;  and 3) Man creates government to
protect those rights. The individual precedes, and is  supe-
rior to, government. Our Constitution is not a law to govern
the people, but to govern the government, to make government
the servant, not the master, of the people.

    The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
comes  from  a  totally  different philosophical foundation.
Like the UN Charter and the Soviet Constitution, the Conven-
tion  on  the  Rights  of the Child views rights not as God-
given and unalienable, but as  government-given  and  condi-
tional.  This  view  of  the  origin of rights is completely
incompatible with liberty. For if one  accepts  the  premise
that  rights  come from government, then one must accept the
corollary that government is entitled to circumscribe, with-
hold,  or  even destroy those rights. This concept of rights
was stated by Andrei Vishinsky,  Stalin's  chief  prosecutor
and  chairman  of the Soviet Supreme Court, during debate on
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  on  December  10,
1948  at  the United Nations. Said Vishinsky: "The rights of
human beings cannot be considered outside  the  prerogatives
of  governments,  and the very understanding of human rights
is a governmental concept."

    A typical example of this philosophy  can  be  found  in
Article  14  (section  l) of the Convention on the Rights of
the Child: "States Parties shall respect the  right  of  the
child  to freedom of thought, conscience and religion." Sec-
tion 3 then proceeds to neuter that  right  with  a  Soviet-
style clause: "Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs
may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by
law  and  are  necessary  to  protect  public safety, order,
health or morals, or the fundamental rights and freedoms  of
others." Similar words are used repeatedly in the Convention
to legally wipe out all guarantees for the "rights" that are
set forth in the document.

    Article 10, for instance, says: "The right to leave  any
country  shall  be  subject only to such restrictions as are
prescribed by law...." This is the kind of pliable  legalese
beloved  of  all tyrants. And it stands in stark contrast to
the absolute, unconditional nature of our Bill of Rights.

At Odds with Constitution

    The U.S. Constitution and Bill  of  Rights  are  clearly
directed  primarily  at  limiting the power and scope of the
federal government and providing the legal standing for  the
people   and   the   states  to  assert  themselves  against
encroachments by the federal government.  The  First  Amend-
ment,  for example, states: "Congress shall make no law...."
The Convention on the Rights  of the  Child,  on  the  other
hand,  primarily  provides opportunity and authority for the
United Nations -- or the U.S. government acting under the UN
Convention  --  to  enforce its provisions against state and
local governments, and even against parents.

    Article 13 of the Convention  mandates  that  the  child
"shall  have  the right to freedom of expression," including
"freedom to seek, receive and impart information  and  ideas
of  all  kinds,  regardless  of frontiers, either orally, in
writing or in print, in the form  of  art,  or  through  any
other  media of the child's choice." Could this be construed
to mean that  parents  who  do  not  allow  their  child  to
"express"  himself  by wearing Satanic symbols or obscene T-
shirts are violating the child's rights? Does the child have
the  "right"  to  speak to his parents in any manner he sees
fit? Could school authorities who impose dress codes or  who
prohibit  the  printing  of obscene, racist, or other objec-
tionable material in a school newspaper be prosecuted  under
the  Convention?  Would state laws and local ordinances res-
tricting the access of minors to  pornography  and  "mature"
literature be struck down?

    Could Article 16's provisions for the child's  right  to
privacy  be  used to secure abortions for youngsters without
parental knowledge or consent; or to prohibit  parents  from
searching  a  child's  room  for drugs or other forbidden or
illegal items? What about  Article  31's  guarantee  of  the
child's  right  to "rest and leisure," "recreational activi-
ties," and "cultural life and the arts"? Would  parents  who
make  little  Ricky  do chores or practice the piano when he
says he wants to play baseball be  liable  for  prosecution?
Might  they  be  hauled  before  a judge or have their child
removed from their custody because they didn't allow him  to
attend a heavy metal concert?

     [ photo of Grant with caption ]
     UNICEF head James Grant calls Convention a "Magna Carta
     for children"



Judiciary Blank Check

    Are these unfounded, paranoiac fears? Hardly. Anyone  in
the  least  familiar with similar litigation and court deci-
sions of the past few years knows that cases like these  are
certain  to  come  up. And then? "Hundreds of judges will be
left to interpret the  convention  as  they  please,"  warns
Representative  Bliley,  "and  will  possess  all  power  to
supersede state laws." Under the  currently-prevailing  jur-
isprudence,  Article VI of the Constitution is badly miscon-
strued to hold that all treaties -- regardless of their con-
stitutionality  --  are  the --supreme law of the land." And
there are plenty of revolutionists in our state and  federal
judiciaries who would leap at the opportunity to use this UN
Convention in judicial assaults against  state  and  federal
laws,  state  constitutions,  and even the U.S. Constitution
itself.

    From the floor of the House of  Representatives,  Bliley
asked  his colleagues: "Who can explain to me the meaning of
Article 24 section 3 which  provides  that  'States  parties
shall  take all effective measures with a view to abolishing
traditional practices prejudicial to  the  health  of  chil-
dren.'"

"Here," noted Mr. Bliley, "is  a  new  standard  for  us  to
ponder:  Something  need  not  be  hazardous  or even pose a
risk-it need be only prejudicial  to  be  abolished  by  the
government. Who will define what is prejudicial as this Con-
vention takes effect?"

    Who indeed, but the very state and  federal  judges  who
have already run roughshod over the Constitution. These same
judges will define what the Convention means by "health" and
"traditional  practices."  Does "health" encompass physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, as some  argue?
If so, what about the situation of the confused teenager who
has been convinced by the homosexual "Project 10" program at
school  that he is "gay"? If his parents try to convince him
otherwise, or take him to their pastor or a psychologist for
counseling,  are they engaging in illegal "traditional prac-
tices" prejudicial to his emotional health? Could  requiring
a  child to participate in traditional practices like family
prayer and devotions, or to attend  Sunday  church  services
also be prejudicial? Undoubtedly, there are many lawyers who
would so argue, and many judges who would so rule.

Socialist Manifesto

    There are many other pitfalls to be found in the Conven-
tion.  The treaty recognizes a "right of the child to educa-
tion" (Article 28), and in  true  Marxist  fashion  requires
every  nation  that  is a contracting party to "make primary
education compulsory and available to all."  Private  educa-
tion  is  not explicitly outlawed, but private schools, like
government schools, must teach "the principles enshrined  in
the Charter of the United Nations" and must "conform to such
minimum standards as may be laid down by the State."

    Several other articles of the UN Convention  would  also
impose  new, open-ended obligations on national and/or state
governments. In addition to a "free"  education,  the  state
would  also  be  required to provide free child care, health
care services, social security,  family  planning  services,
prenatal  and  postnatal care for mothers, and nutrition and
housing  "to  the  maximum   extent   of   their   available
resources." (Article 4)

    This amounts to a  whole  new  socialist  manifesto  for
America.  Not  only  would it provide politicians and judges
unprecedented opportunity to reach into the taxpayers' pock-
ets  for  all  "available resources." but it would fundamen-
tally alter the function of  government  from  protector  of
rights to provider of services. This would make government a
violator of rights, since government has no  wealth  of  its
own and must first take from one segment of society (violat-
ing their  rights)  to  provide  for  another  segment.  And
government's ability and propensity to violate rights and to
control the people increases directly as more and more  peo-
ple become dependent upon government for goods and services.

     [ photo of Bliley with caption ]
     Bliley was lone voice in Congress


Look Who Has Signed

    One hundred and thirty-four countries  have  signed  the
Convention  on the Rights  of the Child and 85 have ratified
it. Although President Bush has voiced his  support  of  the
Convention, the United States has not yet signed or ratified
the treaty a situation that  "liberals,"  internationalists,
and  Establishment  Insiders find intolerable. After all, as
the world's leading exemplar of freedom we  must  show  our-
selves  to be at least as "progressive" regarding children's
rights as Convention signatories like China, Zambia, Afghan-
istan, Albania, Yemen, Cuba, Bulgaria, and Algeria.

    Then there is the even more stellar company of those who
have already ratified the Convention, like the USSR, Angola,
Mongolia, Romania, Nepal, Uganda, Vietnam, Laos, Zaire, Zim-
babwe,  Nigeria,  Ethiopia,  Lebanon,  Yugoslavia, and North
Korea. Many of these signatory regimes  would  run  neck  to
neck as the worst child abusers in the history of the world.
Even as their heads of state  signed  the  parchment,  their
troops  and  police  forces  were murdering, oppressing, and
otherwise violating the rights of millions  of  children  in
Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

    In an attempt to win pro-life support, the  Convention's
preamble  feigns  support for "appropriate legal protection,
before as well as after birth."  But  the  preamble  is  not
legally  binding,  and every effort to include specific pro-
tection in the treaty for unborn children has been rebuffed.
This should surprise no one, since the UN, through its Popu-
lation Fund, World Health Organization, and  other  agencies
and  programs,  is  one  of the world's largest promoters of
abortion.

    "A great many people," observes Bliley, "would  probably
be  willing  to sacrifice major portions of our Constitution
if the ratification of this  document  could  instantly  end
poverty  and  drug  abuse,  guarantee that not another child
would be physically or sexually abused  and  shut  down  the
pornography  industry  that  has  infected  the  cell of our
society, the family. But it  will  not,  and  we  will  have
exchanged  our  history as the oldest constitutional govern-
ment for a new bureaucracy."

    Bliley concludes: "It finally becomes  clear.  Ratifica-
tion  is  not  about  children; it is about power." Like the
many other UN treaties before us today (on the  environment,
women's  rights,  animal rights, minority rights, drug traf-
ficking, etc.) it is about the power to undermine  and  des-
troy  our  Constitution,  our  national sovereignty, and our
God-given rights.

THE NEW AMERICAN

    I FAXed my senators back in February when I first heard the treaty hit
    the Senate.
    
    Mike

RE: <<< Note 740.9 by OUTSRC::HEISER "Maranatha!" >>>

        I started after my senators as soon as I heard it last fall.  I did
        it again in January.  And it's time to do it again, because it will
        be coming to a vote soon.  My New Hampster Sen. Bob Smith is
        agin it, but Judd Gregg sees nothing wrong with it.  I have been
	trying to convince him otherwise. 

        Our opposition is not asleep.  Below is a recent posting of theirs
        alerting their minions to act.

- ---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: [email protected] (Rich Winkel)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Subject: UN Convention on Child Rights May Be In Jeopardy
Date: Mon, 22 May 95 10:40:47 CST
From: "Bonnie Hayskar" <[email protected]>

Contact:  Bonnie Hayskar, Children's Rights Advocate
Tel:  612/690-3320   Fax:   612/690-1485

20 May 1995

UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD MAY BE IN JEOPARDY

   The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child, a comprehensive international treaty for children now
ratified by 173 countries, faces stiff opposition in the
United States.
   In November 1989, the UN unanimously adopted the
Convention, but it wasn't until February 16, 1995 that US
Ambassador Madeleine Albright signed it.  The convention
must now be reviewed by the State Department and will then
move to the floor of the US Senate for ratification. (Only
the Senate must ratify the Convention, and the President
sign it, for it to become  law.) There has been no
indication when the Convention will be taken up by the
Senate, but it could be at any time.
   In Minnesota, for example, Democratic Senator Paul
Wellstone's office has been  deluged with opposition to the
Convention.  It was reported that he had received thousands
of calls in opposition and only two in favor. Opposition,
according to a Wellstone staffperson, is from the political
far Right.  Potential supporters have been largely ignorant
of the Convention's current status, as little if anything
has appeared in the media about the US signing of the
document, which had been on hold for over five years due to
conservative opposition.
   Write  to  your  US senators in Washington and tell them
you support legal rights for children and to ratify the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child:

   Senator (YOUR SENATOR'S NAME)
   US Senate
   Washington, DC 20510

   Write to President Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham
Clinton, thanking them for their support of the Convention
and urging them to lobby hard for ratification:

   President Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton
   The White House
   Washington, DC 20500

   The US signing of the convention was announced by First
Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton at a memorial service for James
P. Grant, executive director of UNICEF for the past 15
years, who passed away  on January 28, 1995.  The very last
letter that Grant ever wrote was to the  President of the
United States, Bill Clinton.  In it, he said, "Please allow
me  to  stress...that your prompt signing of the UN
Convention on the Rights of the Child would make a genuine
difference for  the global effort to achieve universal
ratification by the end of 1995, as called for by the 1992
World Conference on Human Rights." During his tenure Grant
confronted  what he called  "the silent emergency," the
daily tragedy of millions of children caught in the
relentless downward spiral of poverty, population and
environmental degradation.
   The Convention on the Rights of the Child is an
international treaty with a preamble and 54 articles
establishing specific standards for children's basic needs,
protections, and freedoms.

Other sources of information:

US Committee for UNICEF  212/686-5522
Save the Children  203/221-4000
Childreach  401/738-5600

** End of text from cdp:pn.alerts **

***************************************************************************
This material came from PeaceNet, a non-profit progressive networking
service.  For more information, send a message to [email protected]
***************************************************************************

    I've heard England signed it and are now having problems with it.
    
    Mike

 notes .5-.16 moved from another topic of the same name.




 Jim Co Mod.

The following notes document my correspondence with our Massachusetts senators,
and President Clinton:

	327.18  (This note)
	327.19  My 1st letter to Senator Kennedy
	        [identical letters sent to Senator Kerry and President Clinton]
	327.20  Response from Senator Kerry
	327.21  Response from President Clinton
	327.22  Response from Senator Kennedy
	327.23  My 2nd letter to Senator Kennedy

JOHN F. KERRY
MASSACHUSETTS


WASHINGTON,D.C. 20510

September 30, 1994



Mr. & Mrs. Garth D. Wiebe
[address deleted]

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Wiebe:

Thank you for writing to express your views about the United Nations Convention
on the Rights of the Child and Senate Resolution 70, introduced by Senator Bill
Bradley.  It was good to hear from you, and I appreciate your taking the time
to write concerning this important issue. 

As you may know, S. Res. 70, calls upon the President to seek the advice and
consent of the Senate on the ratification of the U.N. Convention on the Rights
of the Child.  On November 20, 1989, the United Nations unanimously endorsed
the convention as law.  The convention, if implemented, will help establish
universal legal standards for the care and protection of children against
neglect, exploitation, and abuse. 

As the father of two daughters, I believe that the future peace and prosperity
of all nations depends on the well-being of the world's children. Accordingly,
the rights of children throughout the world must be addressed and respected. 
Although it is unclear when the Senate will consider ratification of this
convention, I certainly will keep your concerns in mind. 

Thanks again for writing to express your views on this important matter. 
Please keep in touch on this and other issues of concern to you. 



Sincerely,

John F Kerry
United States Senator

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON


March 14, 1995



Mr. Garth D. Wiebe
[address deleted]

Dear Garth:

Thank you for your letter regarding the United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child.  I firmly believe that we must protect the world's children
against all forms of abuses -- from six-year-olds working long hours in
crowded, unhealthy factories to youngsters who are forced into prostitution. 
That is why I decided that the United States would join more than 175 nations
in signing the Convention and why I directed Ambassador Albright to sign on
behalf of the United States. 

Before sending the Convention to the Senate for advice and consent to
ratification, we will undertake a final analysis of how it would be implemented
domestically and propose appropriate reservations and understandings.  These
reservations and understandings will ensure that the Convention does not
infringe upon the central role of parents and the family and that it is
consistent with our federal system of government.  I also want to make clear
that this Convention will not serve as a basis for litigation in America's
courts. 

In conducting this analysis, we want to take into account the considered views
of all interested. citizens and groups on the Convention.  Children are our
most important responsibility, and they deserve our love and respect.  I
appreciate knowing your thoughts on this issue, and I'm grateful for your
involvement. 

Sincerely,

Bill Clinton

EDWARD M. KENNEDY
MASSACHUSETTS






WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510


May 25, 1995


The Wiebe Family
[address deleted]

Dear Constituents:

Thank you for your correspondence on the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child. 

The Convention is an international human rights treaty reaffirming that
children, because of their vulnerability, need special care and protection. 
The Convention places particular emphasis on the primary role and protective
responsibility of the family and respect for the cultural values of the
community. 

Each day, large numbers of children die from preventable diseases, and
countless more suffer hunger, malnutrition, economic exploitation and many
other deprivations and injustices.  The Convention is an important step toward
a world where all nations across the globe care for the basic needs of their
children.  Currently, 174 countries are parties to the Convention. 

The Convention has received support from a broad range of highly-respected
individuals and institutions.  Over 200 U.S organizations, including the
Childrens Defense Fund, Christian Childrens Fund, American Association of
Retired Persons, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Red Cross
support U.S. ratification of the Convention. 

Many who have written to me are concerned that the Convention does not
adequately recognize the importance of the family.  In fact the actual text of
the Convention repeatedly affirms the central importance of the family.  The
treaty contains many clauses which recognize the family as the fundamental unit
of society and the natural environment for the growth and well-being of
children. 

The Convention does not require the United States to change its laws and in no
way gives the United Nations the power to control United States policies for
children. 

In the United States we are fortunate to have fundamental constitutional
guarantees of civil rights, including rights for children.  The U.N. Convention
on the Rights of the Child is an important step toward ensuring that all
children, everywhere in the world, enjoy these basic rights, and I strongly
support its ratification by the United States. 

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me with your views on this 
matter.

Sincerely,

Edward M. Kennedy

							[address deleted]
							July 12, 1994


	Senator Edward Kennedy
	315 Russell Senate Building
	Washington, D.C., 20510


	Dear Senator Kennedy,

	It has been brought to my attention that you have signed Senate
	Resolution 70, calling on the President to send the "U.N. 
	Convention on the Rights of the Child" to the Senate for a vote.

	I oppose the adoption of this treaty by the United States.

	This treaty is superfluous at best, since there are federal, 
	state, and local laws in place to protect the basic human rights
	of children in the United States.  It adds nothing to what we
	already have, yet will cost money to implement.

	The way the treaty is worded in several places, it undermines 
	parental authority in the upbringing of our children.  It is this 
	parental authority, by which moral values are passed on from 
	generation to generation, which has made this nation strong in the 
	past.  The mature must train the immature, and the immature and 
	untrained must not be given unlimited freedom of thought, 
	association, and expression, as the U.N. Convention would have it.  
	Such could destroy this nation in the space of one generation. 

	The right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children 
	should not be jeapardized.

	If the treaty is adopted, the United States will be subject to the 
	authority of an international committee in determining policy and 
	laws concerning children.  As you may be aware, treaties have equal 
	ranking with the U.S. Constitution, superceding federal, state, 
	and local laws that are in conflict with it.  Our national 
	sovereignty in this area is thus jeapardized, being turned over to
	the higher judgment of a foreign committee.

	I strongly urge you to oppose the adoption of this treaty, and 
	remove your name from sponsorship.

	As a member of your constituency, I would like to know what your
	decision will be on this issue.



							Sincerely,



							Garth D. Wiebe

							[address deleted]
							June 5, 1995


	Senator Edward Kennedy
	315 Russell Senate Building
	Washington, D.C., 20510


	Dear Senator Kennedy,

	I was disappointed to receive your letter, addressed to 
	constituents who wrote to express their opposition to the 
	United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

	In that letter, you misrepresented my views concerning the 
	Convention's threat to the American family.  Specifically, 
	you said that "Many who have written to me are concerned that 
	the Convention does not adequately recognize the importance 
	of the family.  In fact the actual text of the Convention 
	repeatedly affirms the central importance of the family."

	I am not contesting the fact that the Convention affirms the
	central importance of the family.  What I am trying to convey
	to you is that the convention undermines the fundamental
	right and authority of parents to direct the upbringing of 
	their own children.

	Regarding the above, please refer to Article 13 of the 
	Convention, in light of the Convention's wording regarding 
	the "responsibilities" and "duties" of parents throughout the 
	text of the Convention.

	Another point which you made is that "The Convention does not 
	require the United States to change its laws and in no way 
	gives the United Nations the power to control United States 
	policies for children."

	This point is blatantly incorrect.  In fact the Convention, 
	by its very nature as a foreign treaty, supercedes all federal, 
	state, and local laws.  Once the treaty is ratified, American 
	courts at every level will be able to appeal to the Convention 
	as a higher authority to decide cases before them, literally 
	disregarding applicable federal, state, and local laws, if not 
	changing them.

	Please refer to "Restatement (Third) of the Law of Foreign 
	Relations," 111 (1986) for an authoritative legal treatise on 
	such international agreements.  The Convention is a treaty 
	which has some provisions which are "self-executing," and other 
	provisions which are "non-self-executing."  The self-executing 
	provisions could be applied directly by our nation's courts.  
	The non-self-executing provisions would require legislation to
	give effect to the treaty.

	(over, please...)







	Furthermore, if you believe that the convention has no legal 
	power, then how could you reason that it could be effective 
	at an international level to impact the welfare of children 
	in any country?  Surely you don't believe that the Convention 
	is mere rhetoric?

	Yet at the same time, you affirm that "In the United States we 
	are fortunate to have fundamental constitutional guaratees of 
	civil rights, including rights for children."  If so, then why 
	do we need this treaty?

	And for that matter, why does any country?  You point out that
	174 countries are parties to the Convention.  But some of those 
	countries were and are involved in the most blatant oppression 
	of children, committing their attrocities even as their 
	representatives adopted the Convention.  Examples are such as
	the (former) USSR, Angola, Mongolia, Romania, Nepal, Uganda, 
	Vietnam, Laos, Zaire, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Lebanon, 
	Yugoslavia, and North Korea. 

	I would urge you to carefully research the January 27, 1995 
	judgment issued by the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child 
	against Great Britain, a party to the Convention not known to be 
	a violator of basic human rights.  This Convention has far-reaching
	legal implications.

	I would also urge you to reference a book published by the 
	American Bar Association, entitled _Children's Rights in America:  
	U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child Compared with United 
	States Law_, edited by Cynthia Price Cohen and Howard Davidson, 
	1990.

	The potential impact of this Convention is of great concern to 
	me and my family.  I urge you to reconsider your position 
	regarding the ratification of this Convention.  As a member of 
	your constituency, I would like to know what your response will 
	be regarding this matter.



							Sincerely,



							Garth D. Wiebe

    what a bunch of clowns!

Re: .24  (Mike)

>    what a bunch of clowns!

These men are our government leaders and their position is a valid office of
authority under God.

For that reason, we owe them our respect and honor.  

    I disagree.  Respect is earned, not assumed.

    	Here is something I've noticed that my senators in Colorado
    	do too.  
    
    	Garth signed his letter:
    
    
>							Sincerely,
>
>
>
>							Garth D. Wiebe
    
    
    	Yet Kerry replied:
    
>Mr. & Mrs. Garth D. Wiebe
>[address deleted]
>
>Dear Mr. & Mrs. Wiebe:

    
    	Do they have dossiers on us or something that they know we 
    	have spouses?

    Hmm,

    intersting point. Almost certainly. Hey, if Garth and his wife are
    registered voters (as we all should be - imho), then he could have
    checked there.

    The other point is, did Garth mention in passing his own family? (I'd
    have to go back and check) - but if so, there is the implication that
    there is a 'Mrs' Wiebe.

    Perhaps the good Senator assumed - and we *all* know what happens when
    we 'assume'. ;')

    Harry

    	Last time I saw this, I know that I didn't mention my wife
    	or even my marital status.
    
    	I can't imagine that they have the time to research the 
    	writers of all their letters like that.
    
    	The only thing I can think of is that I might have used a
    	return address sticker that says Mr. and Mrs., or Joe and
    	Linda, etc.

The nearest I can recall concerning supporting leaders who are manifestly 
in error is Matthew 23:2 :
   "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat  So you must
    obey them and do everything they tell you.  But do not do what they do, 
    for they do not practise what they preach. 

And there's many verses we have quoted before indicating we should support
our leaders. 

If 'respect' is what you think of a person, then yes, it is earned, bearing
1 Corinthians 13 in mind - and balancing the desire to give people the
benefit of the doubt, with the wisdom of a serpent which we need to
exercise increasingly in these days. 

If 'respect' is the way you speak about a person, then it says at least as 
much about the speaker as it does about the person spoken about.

Just because a person does not speak or behave in a way which makes you
feel they are competent, reliable or even trustworthy, does not make it
acceptable to condemn, or use their tactics.  That would lower us to their
level.  The more foolish people are, the more clearly the truth stands out
to the discerning when it is lovingly presented.  Sadly today, the 
proportion of discerning people is fading in accordance with Biblical 
warnings.  Don't be frustrated at being in the minority facing towards God, 
Mike.  It would be so much worse to be in the other group.  All they 
have is the limited time of their lifespan, and even then the damage they 
can do is limited to creation, which is passing away.  No wonder it is 
groaning in birthpangs, awaiting the return of the Messiah!

								Andrew

    True, Andrew, but I won't follow the "Pharisees" where they contradict
    God's Word.  Call me stubborn. ;-)

Hi Stub!!! ;-)

Re: .26  (Mike)

>    I disagree.  Respect is earned, not assumed.

"Then Paul said to him, 'God will strike you, you whitewashed wall!'... Those
who were standing near Paul said, 'You dare to insult God's high priest?'
Paul replied, 'Brothers, I did not realize he was the high priest; for it is
written, "Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people." [Exodus 22:28]'"
(Acts 23:3-4)

Re: .27  (J_Oppelt)
    
>    	Do they have dossiers on us or something that they know we 
>    	have spouses?

Per the advice of HSLDA, my wife and I sent separate, identical letters.

    Does anyone know the state of this in the Senate?
    
    Thanks,
    
    - Jim

    (A pastor at the conference I am attending said that the USA is a
    signatory to this UN treaty on the rights of children.  I had thought
    from discussions here that this is not _yet_ so.  True/False?)

Re: .35, .36  (status of convention)

The president has signed it.  2/3 Senate vote is needed to ratify it and
make it law.  Jesse Helms happens to be head of the committee that would
submit it to the floor of the senate for a vote.  Jesse Helms is opposed
to it, however, and will likely sit on it until someone goes over his
head.  

Meanwhile, we are still supposed to be lobbying our senators to get 
*committments* to oppose it.  Progress is being made, but we don't have
enough senators committed to oppose it yet.

If you haven't yet written, it is not too late.

    Re: Note 327.37 by NETCAD::WIEBE
    
>If you haven't yet written, it is not too late.
    
    Hopefully they wouldn't listen to me anyway.  ;-)
    
    Wrong constituency.  Shame that.
    
    James

I received the following message from HSLDA, indicating that we now have
34 Senators committed to oppose the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the
Child!  This means that if the convention is brought to the floor today,
it cannot achieve the necessary 2/3 majority vote to pass.

From:	[HSLDA e-mail hotline]
To:	netcad::wiebe
CC:	
Subj:	UPDATE ON PHONE BLITZ!

National Center for Home Education
P.O. Box 125
Paeonian Springs, VA 22129
(703) 338-7600

Senators Thad Cochran and Larry Pressler Sign on to S.R. 133!

     We have just learned that Senators Thad Cochran and Larry Pressler
have become co-sponsors to S.R. 133 - the resolution against the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Signing on to this
resolution, introduced by Senators Helms and Lott, makes Senators
Cochran and Pressler the 33rd and 34th senators to take a public stand
against the U.N. Convention!

     As you know, home schoolers across the nation will be participating
in a targeted phone blitz on July 18 and 19 to encourage key senators to
co-sponsor S.R. 133. Because of Senators Cochran?s and Pressler's
change in position, they no longer need to be contacted by home
schoolers in theirstates. If you are unable to stop all the phone calls, do
not be concerned.  The increased number of calls to the senators's
offices will likely reinforce their positions as co-sponsors to S.R. 133.

    Garth, do you know Sen. McCain's and Sen. Kyl's (both R - AZ) 
    positions on this?  It would be interesting to see who the offenders
    are.
    
    thanks,
    Mike

Re: .40  (Mike)

>    Garth, do you know Sen. McCain's and Sen. Kyl's (both R - AZ) 
>    positions on this?  It would be interesting to see who the offenders
>    are.
    
Senator McCain is committed to opposing the U.N. Convention, per a March
article that I found. 

I could not find Senator Kyl's name either on the March list of (23) 
committed opposers, or on the 6/18 list of conservative senators to target
in that phone blitz.  Perhaps you should telephone his office to find out.

    I thought McCain would be opposed.  Any senator that declares on local
    radio that he's "doing the Lord's work in the city of Satan" is okay by
    me ;-)
    
    Mike