The rights of the child

Know your rights

Children shall have the right to such protection and care as is necessary for their well-being. They may express their views freely. Such views shall be taken into consideration on matters which concern them in accordance with their age and maturity.

In all actions relating to children, whether taken by public authorities or private institutions, the child's best interests must be a primary consideration.

Every child shall have the right to maintain on a regular basis a personal relationship and direct contact with both his or her parents, unless that is contrary to his or her interests.

These rights are enshrined in article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Promising practices for the protection of children in migration

There is a wealth of knowledge and good practice in EU countries on the protection of children in migration which needs to be shared at local and national level. The Commission committed to collect and disseminate promising practice on the protection of children in migration via an online database.

Database of promising practices

What to do if your rights have been breached

The authorities of EU countries are bound to comply with the Charter of Fundamental Rights only when implementing EU law. Fundamental rights are protected by your country's constitution.

Related rights

Chapter 3 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is on equality. This chapter also contains the following rights

• equality before the law
• non-discrimination
• cultural, religious and linguistic diversity
• equality between women and men
• the rights of the child
• the rights of the elderly
• integration of persons with disabilities