CRIN REVIEW 21: A Generation On – Enforcing children’s rights

[LONDON, 19 November 2007] - The Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) has launched its latest review A Generation On: Enforcing children’s rights. Published to coincide with the 18th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, this edition reflects on the international child rights climate, drawing together analysis of advances and obstacles in implementing child rights in recent years. It also includes best practice examples of advocating and networking for child rights, examples of model legislation, and practical advice on seeking redress for breaches of children’s rights.

Children constitute half the population in many developing countries. Six hundred million children live in absolute poverty, on less than one US dollar a day. Over one billion children experience severe deprivation of the basic necessities of life. Many other children cannot access or complete schooling, are exposed to debilitating or life-threatening diseases, exploitation and violence in the home, school or workplace.

As we approach the CRC’s 18th birthday it is only right that we assess its progress and reflect on the state of child rights. There is some cause for celebration. Marta Santos Pais quite rightly showcases positive improvements in legislation and policies as well as resource allocation, data collection and mechanism creation. Ragne Birte Lund speaks of Norway’s recent CRC inspired child rights based international development cooperation. There are stories of creative campaigns in Mongolia that have protected thousands of children from violence, of effective child rights lobbying in Central America and the UK, and of a model constitution which has strengthened court rulings on children’s rights in South Africa.

However, the general tone of this publication is clear; more needs to be done and we may need to think of new ways of doing it. In many countries child rights are at best sporadically implemented and at worst remain aspirational goals.

In the words of British prime minister Gordon Brown we find ourselves in a ‘development emergency’ and need to establish new partnerships, new tactics and new tools to meet this challenge.

So what obstacles lie in our path? Yanghee Lee speaks of a lack of political will, the idea of children as passive victims rather than rights holders and of rights as luxuries that children have to earn.

Peter Newell and Thomas Hammarberg question the extent to which children really have access to judicial remedies with which to hold others to account and the extent to which those that exist are child-friendly.

Sara Austin argues that a complaints procedure for the CRC would make it more accountable to children and may contribute to enforcement. We are not a generation who can argue that there is a lack of resources, knowledge or capacity in this world - simply that they may need to be redistributed. The truth is there are no reasons for the current situation, only excuses.

So what can we do about it? We need to do more and to encourage others – particularly governments – to do more.

We need to utilise the rights mechanisms that already exist. Francisco Quintana presents strategic litigation as an under used resource with inspiring stories of change achieved in Latin America, whilst Dr. Assefa Bequele urges civil society to engage more with the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child as a tool for change.

We need to create ‘genuine global partnerships’ to pool our skills and resources and that might include reaching our hand out to sectors we are not familiar with including the private sector and academia.

We need to convince donors of the importance of funding the creation of rights systems, advocacy and civil society capacity building as opposed to just service provision.

We all need to take holistic approaches to children as opposed to sectoral interventions. The coalition for child rights in Iraq shows us that this work is possible in all countries whatever the circumstances.

There is no more room for excuses. Now is the time for enforcement. Now is the time for accountability. We cannot fail another generation of children.

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Hard copies of the Review, formerly the CRIN Newsletter, will be sent to all CRIN members in the next few weeks. The Review will soon be available in Spanish and French. Those interested in receiving extra copies are invited to contact CRIN by email at [email protected] or download it at: http://www.crin.org/resources/infoDetail.asp?ID=7009&flag=report

We regret that we can no longer cover the mailing costs for non-members. If you are not a member of CRIN but would like to receive a copy of the Review, please send a stamp addressed envelope to:

Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)
c/o Save the Children UK
1 St. John's Lane, London, EC1M 4AR, UK

 

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/CRIN_review_final.pdf

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