Produced by PlayBoard’s Young Research Team (a group of ten children and young people aged 8-12 years), this is an easy-to-understand version of General Comment No. 17.

General Comment 17 was released in March 2013 by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), focusing on Article 31. Article 31 of the UNCRC formally enshrines the child’s right to play and the right to engage in other recreational activities, including participation in cultural activities and the arts.

The release of the General Comment has been highly significant in that it:

• Clarifies the meaning and importance of Article 31
• Helps to define the key elements of the article
• Explains the importance of play, recreation, cultural and artistic participation to the growth, development and well-being of children

This easy-to-understand version of General Comment No. 17 examines the importance of Article 31 in children’s lives, how it links with other rights in the Convention, challenges in making the right to play a reality for all children, and government obligations.