UN hails South Sudan's ratification of child rights convention

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has welcomed South Sudan's ratification of the convention on the rights of the child and repeated its call for universal ratification of the convention.

"We applaud South Sudan for ratifying the convention on the rights of the child, thus becoming the 195th state to do so," the committee said in a statement issued Monday.

The convention, which is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty, was adopted more than 25 years ago in 1989.

The rights it sets include children's right to life, to health, to education and to play, as well as the right to family life, to be protected from violence, to not be discriminated against, and to have their views heard.

"Ratification is an important step that brings with it a commitment towards implementation," the statement said, uring states that have ratified the Convention, now including South Sudan, to fulfill their obligations to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights of all children.

The UN committee urged countries that have yet to ratify the convention, including the United States, to ratify as soon as possible. Endit