Article 14
1. States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
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.
3. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by
law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals, or the fundamental rights and
freedoms of others.
Article 15
1. States Parties recognize the rights of the child to freedom of association and to freedom of
peaceful assembly.
2. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of these rights other than those imposed in conformity
with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public
safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights
and freedoms of others.
Article 16
1. No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or
correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.
2. The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 17
States Parties recognize the important function performed by the mass media and shall ensure that the
child has access to information and material from a diversity of national and international sources,
especially those aimed at the promotion of his or her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical
and mental health.
To this end, States Parties shall:
(a) Encourage the mass media to disseminate information and material of social and cultural benefit to the
child and in accordance with the spirit of Article 29;
(b) Encourage international co-operation in the production, exchange and dissemination of such information
and material from a diversity of cultural, national and international sources;
(c) Encourage the production and dissemination of children’s books;
(d) Encourage the mass media to have particular regard to the linguistic needs of the child who belongs to
a minority group or who is indigenous;
(e) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines for the protection of the child from information
and material injurious to his or her well-being, bearing in mind the provisions of Articles 13 and 18.
Article 18
1. States Parties shall use their best efforts to ensure recognition of the principle that both parents have
common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child. Parents or, as the case may be,
legal guardians, have the primary responsibility for the upbringing and development of the child. The best
interests of the child will be their basic concern.
2. For the purpose of guaranteeing and promoting the rights set forth in the present Convention, States
Parties shall render appropriate assistance to parents and legal guardians in the performance of their
child-rearing responsibilities and shall ensure the development of institutions, facilities and services for the
care of children.
3. States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that children of working parents have the
right to benefit from child-care services and facilities for which they are eligible.
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