Article 24: Health and healthcare

Convention text

1.

The countries that have signed the Convention recognise the right of the child to the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and the recovery of health. To this end, children must have access to healthcare services without discrimination.

2.

These countries must take measures to implement this right. In particular, they must take measures to:

  • reduce infant and child mortality;
  • ensure that all children receive the medical assistance and healthcare they need, with particular attention to primary healthcare;
  • combat disease, malnutrition and inadequate nutrition, including within primary healthcare. This can be done, among other things, through the use of readily available technology and by ensuring the provision of nutritious food and clean drinking water. In doing so, the countries must take into account the dangers and risks of environmental pollution;
  • ensure appropriate healthcare for mothers before and after childbirth;
  • ensure that all members of society, in particular parents and children, are supported in gaining basic knowledge of child health and nutrition, the advantages of breastfeeding, hygiene and sanitation, and the prevention of accidents. They must also receive guidance on how to obtain such education;
  • develop preventive healthcare, guidance for parents, and services for family planning and education in that regard.

3.

These countries must take all effective and appropriate measures to abolish traditional practices that are harmful to the health of children.

4.

These countries must encourage and strengthen international cooperation in order to achieve the full realisation of the right referred to in Article 24. In doing so, particular account must be taken of the needs of developing countries.

Key point

Every child has the right to the best possible health and to healthcare.

Explanation

The government must ensure that children are as healthy as possible and that they have access to healthcare without exception. It must also make special efforts to reduce infant and child mortality. Healthcare must also be available for mothers before and after childbirth, known as prenatal and postnatal care. The government must also give particular attention to primary healthcare and preventive healthcare. Primary healthcare is basic care, such as services provided by a GP, dentist or pharmacy. Preventive healthcare means care aimed at preventing harm. There must also be sufficient food and clean drinking water, as well as information about health, nutrition, breastfeeding and hygiene, meaning how important it is to keep things clean.

Traditional practices

Traditional practices are customs that are often long-standing and form part of the culture of a community. These may be harmless customs, such as serving rusks with sugared aniseed after a birth in the Netherlands. However, there are also traditional practices that are harmful, such as female genital mutilation. This is a painful and shocking experience for young girls, which can lead to serious physical and psychological harm. Yet female genital mutilation still occurs in many countries, including the Netherlands. This Article of the Convention states that governments must abolish such traditional practices. In the Netherlands, this has already been done in relation to female genital mutilation, as it is prohibited by law.

Health education

In all matters, the best interests of the child must come first, as is also clearly stated in Article 3: The best interests of the child. Parents or carers are responsible for the child, including their health. The government must provide them with proper information and guidance, for example on how to live healthily, make healthy choices, create a safe environment, and prevent illness and accidents. The views of the child also play a role in this. In matters relating to health, children in the Netherlands may participate in decision-making from the age of 12. From the age of 16, they may decide for themselves.

Everyone has the right to healthcare

This Article also states that the countries that have signed the Convention cooperate internationally to improve the right to health and healthcare. This applies in particular to developing countries. Every year, millions of children die from diseases that can easily be prevented through, for example, good hygiene or vaccinations. The countries that have signed the Convention must take action to address this. This therefore also applies to the Netherlands.

However, not all children in the Netherlands receive the same healthcare either. Children whose parents are not lawfully present in the Netherlands do not receive the same healthcare as other children. This is not permitted, because the Convention states that every child has the right to good health and healthcare.

General Comment

There are also General Comments on the Convention that provide more information on this topic: