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1. Existence of a National Youth Law

2. Scope and contents

3. Revisions/updates

Existence of a National Youth Law

Norway does not have a youth law. The following laws relate specifically to the rights of children and adolescents under the age of 18, and in some cases up to the age of 24:

• The Children's Act [Barneloven] (1982) covers legislation on parenthood, parental responsibility, attendance and maintenance obligations. The Act also contains rules on parental mediation and the handling of parenting disputes in the courts.
• The Guardianship Act [Vergemålsloven] (2013) applies to persons under guardianship and their right to take legal action or to dispose of their own funds. The Act also applies to guardians of persons under guardianship and the competence of the guardian to take legal action or to dispose of funds on behalf of the person he or she is guardian of. However, for guardians of minors, the law applies only to the extent that the competence is not covered by the parental responsibility under the Children's Act.
• The Child Welfare Act [Barnevernloven] (2023) relates to the Child Welfare Services.
• The Education Act  [Opplæringsloven] (1998) relates to rights pertaining to primary and secondary education.
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been embedded in Norwegian legislation in the Human Rights Act, cf. Item 2 (1989).

There are no specific references to youth in the constitution, but the rights of children below the age of majority are specifically mentioned in the Norwegian Constitution (§ 10).

Scope and contents

Not applicable, as Norway currently does not have a youth law.

Revisions/updates

Not applicable, as Norway currently does not have a youth law.