IL HR0147

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989, to promote basic human rights and protect children from discrimination, neglect, and abuse.

193 UN member states have ratified the Convention, with only the United States, South Sudan, and Somalia remaining non-ratifiers.

The United States signed the Convention on February 16, 1995, but the Convention has never been submitted to the U.S. Senate for advice and consent, preventing U.S. ratification.

Without Senate approval, the Convention provides no protections for children living in the United States.

The resolution urges President Obama to submit the Convention to the U.S. Senate without delay and calls on the Senate to approve it swiftly.