[Paediatrics in light of the Convention on the Rights of the Child].

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child not only grants comprehensive rights to children via international law, it also constitutes a legally binding framework under German federal law. With respect to health care, the convention establishes the "right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health" and the principle that "the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration" in all actions undertaken by public or private institutions. Here, some fundamental aspects of the convention and the monitoring of its implementation are summarized and current challenges in paediatric medicine in Germany are discussed in light of the convention.