JANUSZ KORCZAK AND THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Janusz Korczak was a Polish writer, doctor and leader in the field of education and social work who introduced the concept of children’s rights in the early 20th century. Through his work Korczak contributed to the first international treaty to address children’s rights: the 1924 Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was not opened for ratification until 1989. Twenty-five years later, in 2014, children, young people and adults from 41 countries spanning the continents of Africa, America, Europe, Asia and Oceania met at a world conference on children’s rights and participation titled Children as Actors for Transforming Society (CATS).