Advanced Law on Providing the Children’s Rights

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea regards the work for new generations as the most important work of the Party and the state.

The Law of the DPRK on Providing the Children’s Rights contributes to providing the rights and interests of children to the full in all fields of social life, education, public health, family and judicature by further developing the system of providing the children’s rights.

The Workers’ Party of Korea brought up the pencil problem as an item on the agenda of the first session of the Provisional People’s Committee of North Korea even in difficult conditions soon after the country’s liberation. Since then it has set measures for children as the state’s policies and bestowing boundless affection on them.

Article 8 of the law stipulates that the state, in accordance with the principle of “All the best things for the children!” shall provide, on preferential basis, the best possible things necessary for children’s health, education and life. 

The Third Plenary Meeting of the Eighth Central Committee of the WPK held in June last year discussed the issue of improving the Party’s childcare policy as a major item of the agenda, and set up the policy to supply of nutritious foodstuff including dairy products to all the children across the country at the state expense. 

Article 23 stipulates that children exercise their right to the universal 12-year compulsory education and the education is enforced free of charge. Children learn to their heart’s content at the bases for schoolchildren’s extra-curricular activities such as the students’ and children’s palaces, children’s camps, schoolchildren’s halls built throughout the country.

The law also stipulates that children have the right to complete and universal free medical care. In the DPRK the state bears all the expenses for diagnosis, laboratory test, medicine, inpatient service, trip to and from and stay in sanatoria, checkup, consultation, vaccination and prosthesis for all the children. 

Article 31 stipulates that the state shall bring up the children, who have neither parents nor guardian, at baby homes, orphanages and schools for orphans at state expenses. The DPRK has built modern baby homes and orphanages on the excellent places in various parts of the country so that children can live a merry life free from worries.