Child
A child (plural: children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority. "Child" may also describe a relationship with a parent or authority figure, or signify group membership in a clan, tribe, or religion; it can also signify being strongly affected by a specific time, place, or circumstance, as in "a child of nature" or "a child of the Sixties."[1]
Definitions
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as "every human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier."[2]Biologically, a child is anyone in the developmental stage of childhood, between infancy and adulthood.
Attitudes toward children
Girls in Xinjiang in northwestern China
Social attitudes toward children differ around the world and have also changed over time. A 1988 study on European attitudes toward the centrality of children found Italy was more child-centric and Holland less child-centric, with other countries (Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, and West Germany) falling in between.[3]
Age of responsibility
Population aged under 15 years in 2005
The age at which children are considered responsible for their own actions has also changed over time, and this is reflected in the way they are treated in courts of law. In Roman times, children were regarded as not culpable for crimes, a position later adopted by the Church. In the nineteenth century, children younger than seven years old were believed incapable of crime. Children from the age of seven were considered responsible for their actions. Hence, they could face criminal charges, be sent to adult prisons, and be punished like adults by whipping, branding or hanging.[4]
See also
- Boy, Girl
- Child development
- Childhood
- Age of consent
- Advertising to children
- List of youth topics
References
Preceded by
Toddlerhood |
Stages of human development
Childhood |
Succeeded by
Preadolescence |
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Human development: biological - psychological - Overview table |
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| Pre- and perinatal |
Prenatal development • Pre- and perinatal psychology
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| Infancy |
Infant and child development (stages) • Infancy |
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| Childhood |
Child development (stages)
Toddlerhood • Preadolescence
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| Adolescence |
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| Adulthood |
Early adulthood • Middle adulthood • Late adulthood • Ageing & Senescence |
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Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights |
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General principles |
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Article 1: Freedom, Egalitarianism, Dignity and Brotherhood
Article 2: Universality of rights
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International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights |
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Article 1 and 2: Right to freedom from discrimination · Article 3: Right to life, liberty and security of person · Article 4: Freedom from slavery · Article 5: Freedom from torture and cruel and unusual punishment · Article 6: Right to personhood · Article 7: Equality before the law · Article 8: Right to effective remedy from the law · Article 9: Freedom from arbitrary arrest, detention and exile · Article 10: Right to a fair trial · Article 11.1: Presumption of innocence · Article 11.2: Prohibition of retrospective law · Article 12: Right to privacy · Article 13: Freedom of movement · Article 14: Right of asylum · Article 15: Right to a nationality · Article 16: Right to marriage and family life · Article 17: Right to property · Article 18: Freedom of thought, conscience and religion · Article 19: Freedom of opinion and expression · Article 20.1: Freedom of assembly · Article 20.2: Freedom of association · Article 21.1: Right to participation in government · Article 21.2: Right of equal access to public office · Article 21.3: Right to universal suffrage
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |
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Article 1 and 2: Right to freedom from discrimination · Article 22: Right to social security · Article 23.1: Right to work · Article 23.2: Right to equal pay for equal work · Article 23.3: Right to just remuneration · Article 23.4: Right to join a trade union · Article 24: Right to rest and leisure · Article 25.1: Right to an adequate standard of living · Article 25.2: Right to special care and assistance for mothers and children · Article 26.1: Right to education · Article 26.2: Human rights education · Article 26.3: Right to choice of education · Article 27.1: Right to participate in culture · Article 27.2: Right to intellectual property
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Context, limitations and duties |
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Article 28: Social order · Article 29.1: Social responsibility · Article 29.2: Limitations of human rights · Article 29.3: The supremacy of the purposes and principles of the United Nations
Article 30: Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
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| Category:Human rights · Human rights portal |
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