South Sudan is yet to ratify the Convention of the Rights of Children (CRC) which is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.

In the context of agreeing to undertake the obligations of the convention, national governments commit themselves to protecting and ensuring children’s rights and decide to be held accountable for this commitment before the international community.

According to Elizabeth Quaye, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) officer-in-charge in Juba: "The South Sudan Child of Act of 2008 is a good example of how South Sudan has made efforts to domesticate the [Convention of the rights of the Child] CRC even though there are still some challenges in the implementation of their national legislation. To cement these efforts and to ensure greater investment, the Republic of South Sudan needs to demonstrate to the rest of the world its commitment to its children by ratifying the CRC.”

In South Sudan child marriage (under the age of 18) remains prevalent. One of the rights afforded to children under the convention is the Right to Protection from Marriage.