With the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly in November 1989, a new chapter in the history of international human rights protection was opened. This not only heightened awareness of children's rights but also changed the perception of children as subjects of rights. For the first time, children's rights and the corresponding state obligations for implementation were enshrined in international law in a comprehensive manner. The authors highlight various national and international aspects and outline the developments in the pursuit of enforcing children's rights. Even twenty years after the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, there are still glaring discrepancies in many areas between the legal claims and the reality of children's lives.