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Chapter 2 - Civil and political rights

2.1 Civil and political rights concept note

Civil and political rights include freedom from discrimination and the right to privacy, as well as the right
to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, voting rights and freedom of religion. Although international
human rights law guarantees these rights for all, children do not have them.

The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) was a process of accelerating the
protection of political and legal human rights. The CSCE’s 1975 Final Act includes human rights obligations.
Chapter I, entitled “Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms including freedom of thought,
conscience, religion or belief”, dealt with civil, political, economic, social, cultural, religious and minority
rights 1

Citizens who are 18 years old have the right to vote in elections and the opportunity to vote for their
candidate. The secrecy of the vote also applies, which guarantees the anonymity of the vote cast.

Persons under the age of 18 do not have any influence on the rules and laws that govern their lives or on
who is to make them. No country in the world allows people under the age of 16 to vote in national
elections, and only some countries allow children aged 16-18 to participate in national or municipal
elections. The participation of children in protests is often prohibited or punishable.

1 https://prawo.uni.wroc.pl/sites/default/files/students-resources/Prawa%20cz%C5%82owieka%20historia.pdf