Submitted by lratledge on
This report is part of CRIN's access to justice for children project, looking at the status of the CRC in national law, the status of children involved in legal proceedings, the legal means to challenge violations of children’s rights and the practical considerations involved in challenging violations.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been incorporated into Finnish law allowing children to directly use it in national courts. However, incorporation of the CRC by a Decree rather than a Law limits its impact, as where a Law conflicts with the CRC the national law will prevail. Though there is not a developed culture of pro-bono legal assistance in the State there is a well established legal aid system in place to help children access the courts. Despite the many strong features of the Finnish legal system which enable children to access justice, children still face barriers. Courts are generally not able to hear cases in the abstract, requiring specific named victims, and there is no mechanism for NGOs to bring challenges or interventions in relation to violations of children’s rights.
