You are left to fight for your life and raise your brothers and sisters. Across Asia, boys and girls toil endless hours at home and in factories, manufacturing things like toys and carpets which they will never be able to own. They are children who have never had a childhood as we know it. But as the UN grapples with global problems like poverty, famine, war and disease, the child casualties continue to mount. All of these issues were on the table in 1990 at the World Summit for Children, which Canada co-chaired.
Some people think the child is their own possession.
By treating children with humanity and dignity, you help the child to become an adult who will treat others with humanity and dignity. Most participating countries have also established their own committees to monitor abuses. In Canada, children's rights are monitored by the Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children, which Pearson chaired before she was appointed to the Senate. The convention could be used as a living document on a daily basis. Still, proponents of the convention see it as a noble goal.