Council of Europe

Several articles of the European Convention on Human Rights guarantee rights related to the exercise of effective citizenship: rights to physical liberty and security (Article 5), freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 9), freedom of expression (Article 10), freedom of peaceful assembly and association (Article 11) or the right to education (Protocol No1). 

The European Convention on Nationality (1997) establishes common rules relating to the nationality of people based on the following general principles:

  • everyone has the right to a nationality 
  • avoiding statelessness
  • preventing arbitrary deprivation of one’s nationality
  • preservation of the nationality of spouses by marriage or its dissolution.

The provisions of the convention are of particular relevance for children where one or both parents do not have the nationality of the country where the child is born, and for children who would be stateless. It also sets rules for naturalisation of children. 

The Committee of Ministers Recommendation (2016)7 on Young People’s Access to Rights calls on member states to adopt a human rights-based approach to ensuring young people’s access to rights. It also asks the member states to establish or develop youth policies that more effectively facilitate young people’s access to rights.

The Council of Europe Revised European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life presents concrete ideas and instruments that can be used by young people, youth organisations, local authorities, and other institutions involved in participation work. The charter recognises that youth participation implies having the right, the means, the space, the opportunity and the support to participate in and influence decisions.

United Nations

The UN supports democracy by promoting human rights, development, and peace and security. The UN does not advocate for a specific model of government but promotes democratic governance as a set of values and principles that should be followed for greater participation, equality, security and
human development. 

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights does not actually use the word ‘citizen’ or ‘citizenship’ but does refer to a person’s ‘nationality’. In Article 15, it states that “Everyone has the right to a nationality” and that no-one can be arbitrarily deprived of his or her nationality. It also specifies that everyone has the right to change nationality. In Article 29, the Universal Declaration also recognises that our rights and freedoms are dependent on the fulfilment of  responsibilities: “Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.”

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) also addresses nationality, guaranteeing – in Article 7 – the child’s right to acquire a nationality both from their mother or father, and right to protection to avoid becoming stateless. In Article 8, the CRC acknowledges the contribution of nationality to identity, calling on governments “to respect the right of the child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality”. The understanding of citizenship in the CRC goes well beyond the strictly legal. It introduces the idea that not only adults but also children have the right to participate in the life of the community, as an essential aspect of their citizenship. For example, the following rights are guaranteed: to participate in proceedings regarding the child’s guardianship or custody, to participate in decision making in “all matters affecting the child”, to associate with others, for children with disabilities the right to “active participation in the community”, for minority or indigenous children, the right to participate in the culture of their own group as well as that of society as a whole, to participate fully in cultural and artistic life.