The Statistical Office in Warsaw has prepared the third edition of the publication “Children in Mazowieckie voivodship” using data coming from statistical surveys as well as from administrative sources. The information presented in 5 sections concern: demographic phenomena, child’s place in and outside a family, situation of families with dependent children, social care, health and medical care, education, culture and leisure, health and life hazards as well as comparisons to the European Union countries (within the range of selected indicators).

The publication concerns in principle data on the years 2008—2012, however in some cases shorter period or selected years are presented, which is due to methodological reasons. For more precise description of some phenomena, selected data from population censuses since 1970 have been used.

The document setting out the rights of people aged under 18 concerning their care, treatment and protection is the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the United Nations General Assembly 25 years ago. Its resolutions raise social awareness of the necessity of protection of the childhood, as a period separate from the adulthood, in which children can grow up, learn, play and develop. Children knowing their rights can not only use them consciously but also understand that they have to be respected by everyone. Children aware of their rights can more effectively protect themselves against violence. A summary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child prepared by the Polish Committee for UNICEF precedes the main part of the publication.