ICCPR
Art. 18 (4): “The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal
guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.”
CRC
Art. 14 (2): “States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide
direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child […]
(c) The development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of
the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her
own;”.
ICESCR
Art. 13 (3): “The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal
guardians to […] ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.”
Migrant Workers Convention
Art. 12 (4): “States Parties to the present Convention undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents, at least one of whom is a
migrant worker, and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with
their own convictions.”
1981 Declaration of the General Assembly
Art. 5:
1. The parents or, as the case may be, the legal guardians of the child have the right to organize the life within the family
in accordance with their religion or belief and bearing in mind the moral education in which they believe the child should be
brought up.
2. Every child shall enjoy the right to have access to education in the matter of religion or belief in accordance with the wishes of his
parents or, as the case may be, legal guardians, and shall not be compelled to receive teaching on religion or belief against the wishes
of his parents or legal guardians, the best interests of the child being the guiding principle.
4. In the case of a child who is not under the care either of his parents or of legal guardians, due account shall be taken of their
expressed wishes or of any other proof of their wishes in the matter of religion or belief, the best interests of the child being the guiding
principle.
E/CN.4/2006/5
page 28
The right of parents to
ensure the religious and
moral education of their
children