On the 35th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), The Left reaffirms its commitment to strengthening children’s rights across the EU. As the most widely ratified treaty, the UNCRC sets global standards for child protection, with all EU Member States as parties. This anniversary is a moment to reflect on how Europe is falling short in ensuring the respect and protection of children’s fundamental rights.

The UNCRC recognizes every child as a rights holder, yet many continue to face systemic vulnerabilities across the EU. Roma children are among the most disadvantaged, with 83% living in poverty and 52% attending segregated schools, barriers that limit their access to equal opportunities. Similarly, children in migration face heightened risks, including detention, which violates their fundamental rights. The Left calls for an end to child detention and stronger protections for these vulnerable children.

Child poverty compounds these challenges, with 24.8% of EU children at risk in 2023, a situation worsened by food and energy crises. This growing inequality demands urgent action. The Left prioritizes eradicating child poverty and ensuring all children have access to essential services such as education and healthcare.

Girls face unique vulnerabilities, including gender-based violence and harmful practices like forced marriage and female genital mutilation. At the same time, children with disabilities require guaranteed access to quality, inclusive education and care to ensure equal opportunities for all. These intersecting inequalities highlight the need for comprehensive, child-centered policies.

The Left urges Member States to integrate children’s rights into all policies, with a focus on vulnerable children and systemic inequality. Beyond legal recognition, actionable and effective measures are essential to building a safe, inclusive future for every child, a vision central to the UNCRC’s enduring legacy.

In this context, Left MEPs denounced the shortcomings in plenary, urging the European Parliament to take action: 

Rima Hassan (La France Insoumise, France): “The humanitarian emergency is now a structural crisis. The Convention on the Rights of the Child demands that the best interests of the child be the absolute priority, regardless of origin, skin color, or religion.”

Estrella Galán (Sumar, Spain): “A total of 540,000 children are on the Canary Islands. According to the convention, most of these children are refugees. How can we explain to them that we are not providing them the opportunity to live a dignified life, when these children are just like any other children? Let’s stop using children as political weapons for electoral purposes,  we are talking about children!”

Nikos Pappas (Syriza, Greece): “In Palestine, after a year of genocide and unspeakable brutality, children are being deprived of their basic rights, trapped in cycles of poverty, war, and illiteracy. It is therefore our duty to ensure that every child is given the opportunity to live and achieve their dreams.”

Isabel Serra Sanchez (Podemos, Spain): “One of the main causes of violence against children is the misogynistic violence that affects women and children. Children are not just witnesses; they are direct victims. One in five children is a victim of sexual violence, yet we don’t talk about it.”

João Oliveira (PCP, Portugal): We must eradicate parental poverty so that it does not also impact children.  It is necessary to increase investment in universal, public, and quality healthcare and education services, expand public and universal access to daycare and preschool education, ensure decent housing conditions, balanced nutrition, and affordable transportation.

Kathleen Funchion (Sinn Féin, Ireland): “We need to tackle serious issues such as child poverty, child sexual abuse and the protection of children online. While I commend the vital work of the Intergroup, the EU must do a lot more. We need a dedicated forum to amplify children’s voices and – I would argue – a dedicated committee to children.”

Mario Furor (Movimento 5 stelle, Italy): “In Europe today, one in four children lives in poverty. There are also children whose parents are not recognized, such as those in rainbow families, and children who, despite being born here in Europe, are not European citizens.”

Sebastian Everding (Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz, Germany): “An increasingly important issue is the mental health of children. It has been deteriorating steadily since the early 2010s. This can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide at a young age. Yet the majority of young people in Europe have no access to therapy and remain untreated. This is absolutely unacceptable.”