Chapter II of the Finnish Constitution defines the fundamental rights of young people. Fundamental rights also apply to persons under the age of 18, with the exception of electoral rights in national and municipal elections.
According to the Constitution, children (under the age of 18) must be treated equally as individuals and they have right for their individual choices when growing. Children’s rights are defined globally by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Finland signed the Convention in 1991. Read more from here.
Every young person has the right to safety, expression and privacy. The rights of a young person often also depend on their age.
There also comes obligations with right. In Finland, it is compulsory for every children to attend school. Freedom of expression creates an obligation to respect the views of others as well. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention, how to treat others with respect. Read more from here.
It is compulsory to be part of military service in Finland. It can be done by going to army or doing a civilian service. For more info, click here.
It is everybody’s duty to obey the law. Sometimes, however, young people commit crimes or become victim of crime. It is also good to know how the criminal process is conducted and where to get help.
(Sources: MLL and Unicef)