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The UN Convention on the Rights of a Child....
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Out of curiosity, how many people have heard of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Child meaning any under 18 in this case) and how many people know about what its all about?
Please do post replies whether or not you know about it.
Ta.
Please do post replies whether or not you know about it.
Ta.
0
Comments
Care to fill us in obscurity?
Obs.
sorry.
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child(UNCRC) was drawn up in 1989 and sets of the special rights under 18’s have. All countries in the world apart from the USA and Somalia have agreed to put in place the 54 ‘articles’ or points within it.
In the United Kingdom, this means that the Government must look at the Convention every time it makes new laws and check that these laws do not go against any of the rights of Young People (the UNCRC uses the word Children for all under 18’s, but we use Young People here instead). The Convention also gives the government certain responsibilities to carry out.
The Convention contains the right for young people to be involved in decision-making when decisions are made that affect them, which is part of the reason we have a local Youth Council in Havant Borough.
The Convention sets out that all young people have rights regardless of their race, sex, religion or ability. These rights range from the rights to life and an identity, to the right to be involved in decisions that affect you, both government decision and decisions in your family. The Convention includes points on the protection of young people from harm and your right to an education.
You can read more about the Convention on the Save The Children website at http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/rightonline/whats.html or you can read a summary of the points contained in it at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w9/rotc-01.htm.
The Convention itself is not law, but is used when laws are being made, and is used by groups to put pressure on the Government to make laws or take action to protect young peoples rights. A committee of adults from the United Nations also meet to look at how well each country is putting the Convention in place and they make recommendations for how that country can do better.
More information on your rights can be found at http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/rightonline/
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Well, that should give you a rough idea of what the UNCRC says.
Quick questions to people :
They don't want the subject broached!
Diesel
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I can see how this would be a tricky issue although I've not heard of it as a major one before (I've only really looked at UNCRC in UK context).
It does pose the question of how much should the UN be pushing nations to implement the Convention as law, or how much it should stay as a set of 'guidelines'. Should 'cultural practises' be allowed to overide an agreed international convention?
BTW Diesel, just as a point I meant to mention earlier - I don't mind the article from YouthBeat.net being copied as I wrote that one, but technically the copyright on stuff from YouthBeat.net is retained by Havant Borough Youth Council, so any use of that summary in future ought to be credited. Sorry, I have to say that cos of my job. Ta.
[ 13-01-2002: Message edited by: obscurity ]
In all truth, the best answer to anything concerning the UN is: Disband the UN and forget it was ever there...it has already made itself an enemy to everyone! Consider, what would have been US opinion if OBL had struck the UN instead of the WTC?
Diesel
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Well, US opinion wouldn't have been high. But global opinion would have been that of outrage. The UN is constantly striving to contain order. It is the closest thing we have to a world government outside NATO and the EU. If the UN was destroyed then a LOT of people would starve, a LOT of people would go thirsty, a LOT of people would recieve no education, and a LOT of people would still be dying around the world due to an inability to make decisions.
The problem the UN faces so it seems, is that it is not a government, therefore isn't the one who can implement the creative sollutions that come out of such work, that has to be left to the governments of individual countries, and often these things don't come high up their agendas.
. o 0 ( wonders how long it will be before diesel manages to take this thread off topic again )
*grin*
Obs
[ 14-01-2002: Message edited by: obscurity ]
As to the original point of this thread. I dont think that children should have any special rights above those of everyone else. If we are gonna have a standard then why not make it universal? Why shouldnt everyone have the rights put down in this kids charter?
To be honest it seems like a bit of a waste of time. For something that calls itself 'United' they sure do like dividing people up into little boxes <IMG alt="image" SRC="wink.gif" border="0">
Diesel - it's very important. Please try to respect the holders of the copyright on material that is posted on this BB. <IMG alt="image" SRC="wink.gif" border="0">
Erm, I'm not quite sure what else they can do. They've obviously not got the resources to take up every humanitarian cause there is going, and so in the end economics and practicality means that 'picking and chosing' has to take place. This ain't a perfect world after all.
I think in the UK at least we get the Universal standard from the, perhaps arguablly ill implemented, European Convention on Human Rights in the form of the Human Rights Act. However, I think the need for a specific set of rights for Children and Young People stems from the fact they have very little voice or are allowed very little capacity within our society to act to make sure they get their rights, which is why the UNCRC is so neccessary. Giving young people the specific right to be listened to and involved when decisions are made that affect them.
The UNCRC also sets out their rights to play, and a safe family. Essentially these are rights all people should have but they do apply specifically to children and young people. The main question I find in my mind about the UNCRC is whether more emphasis should be placed on Childrens Responsibilities as well as their rights.
As for copyrights...apparently I have missed some point you wish to make...short quotes from works, referenced or otherwise, doesn't merrit a copyright acknowledgement on the internet...if it is there it is given...otherwise...a quote is just a quote.
As I stated, really not of much importance...suppose we could start a thread on the subject though...!
CHILDREN HAVE RIGHTS...but some must be defined...does a six year old girl have a right not to be sexually mutilated by her mother & aunts without any anestisia? Is this brutal custom to be allowed in civilized countries under the 'multiculturalism' title? Or shall such parents be sentenced to long prison terms for doing violence against a child...? Ever wonder why islamic women aren't very interesting? About as exciting as a hole in a board...and I am not saying that to insult or be crude, just a fact.
Diesel
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