Jargon of the week: **Framework**

Submitted by crinadmin on

When used in general terms, “framework” can be a helpful word to describe a set of important ideas or standards. For example, the Convention on the Rights of the Child can be seen as a “framework for fulfilling children's rights” because it sets out the basics for children's rights and serves as a guide for governments to guarantee that children enjoy those rights.

However, all too often, "framework" is used to describe in unnecessarily complex language something that can easily be explained in a straightforward way.

For example:

If you explain to someone that you are “working on a conceptual framework for understanding children's rights”, their response is likely to be a polite nod of incomprehension or a puzzled look. Instead, try saying that you are “working to better understand children's rights” if that is what you mean.

By the same token, rather than saying you are researching the “international normative framework of children's rights”, try saying that you are "researching international standards on children's rights."

“Framework” is also sometimes used confusingly to introduce events. Because this does not follow the plain language definition of the word, this use should be avoided.

For example:

Many meetings were said to be held “in the framework of” the 20

thanniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Next time we reach such a milestone in 2014, people outside the children's rights sector will understand just how important our celebrations are if we say that our meetings will be held “to mark” or “in relation to” the 25th anniversary.

Organisation: 
Child Rights International Network

Countries

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