Over the years since the adoption and subsequent ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by 193 countries, significant efforts and great strides have been made to ensure that children (defined as people under the age of 18), regardless of gender, origin, religion or disability status, need special care and protection because they are often the most vulnerable. Accordingly, today, more than ever before, young people are recognized as rights-bearing citizens and are playing an active role in asserting their rights. In 2002, the global community built on its commitments to children, when the United Nations General Assembly held a Special Session on Children, in which 189 Member States reaffirmed their earlier.
