UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Article 33. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.
  • Human rights
  • Harm reduction

Article 24.

1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health. States Parties shall strive to ensure that no child is deprived of his or her right of access to such health care services.

2. States Parties shall pursue full implementation of this right and, in particular, shall take appropriate measures: (…)

(b) To ensure the provision of necessary medical assistance and health care to all children with emphasis on the development of primary health care;

(c) To combat disease and malnutrition (…)

(f) To develop preventive health care…

  • Human rights
  • Harm reduction

View document

Article 33 arises more and more frequently in CND debates and is recognised by the Committee on the Rights of the Child to be closely connected to the child’s right to health (art 24). The Committee has made repeated recommendations to States parties to adopt comprehensive prevention, treatment and harm reduction programmes.
See the below General Comments and Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child. [INTERNAL LINK]

Click here for a full legal commentary on article 33- http://bit.ly/1M3ClpA