ABSTRACT
Although the rights to enjoy freedom of expression, association and religion are among the most established and widely recognised in international law, their specific application to children has been slow. The European Convention contains standard provisions on the freedoms of religion, expression and association, but makes no special provision for children in these respects. Although the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child reflects the importance in international law of the child's right to be consulted, this idea is not explicit in the text of the European Convention on Human Rights. In terms of Strasbourg proceedings, the child's right to petition the Court is limited neither by the Convention nor by the Court's Rules of Procedure. While there have been few specific applications brought by children themselves challenging their civil rights, there is clearly considerable potential for invoking the European Convention in this area.
