Drawing on the contributions of several academic disciplines including law, psychology, sociology, history, educational and health sciences, economy and anthropology, an interdisciplinary approach guides the student into a selection of critical issues concerning children’s rights. Participants will gain insight relative to the development of this specific human rights category, as well as to the evolution of the challenges faced by children over time and society’s efforts to respond. Successful international strategies and programs promoting children’s rights will be highlighted, as well as the role of key actors involved in international organizations working in this field. This open online course provides an overview of the most important features of children’s human rights. A central portion of the MOOC will consist of a presentation of the international and regional standards on children’s rights and the related international and regional judicial and quasi-judicial bodies designed to ensure their implementation. No prerequisites or specific background is required to register for this MOOC. The course is conceived as an introductory level program, but participants, who wish to deepen their knowledge in the field of children’s rights, or already have some prior knowledge, will have access to additional reading material on a weekly basis. Participants who successfully complete the class activities and final assessment may request for a paid certificate of accomplishment signed by the Instructor and the main professors responsible for the program. However, no credits are awarded. The course consists of seven topical modules distributed on 4 weeks. English is the only language of instruction.
2.7 Regional evolution of children's rights: voices from a recent past - Introduction
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Del curso dictado por University of Geneva
Children's Human Rights - An Interdisciplinary Introduction
426 calificaciones
De la lección
The history of children’s rights in the context of human rights
This module provides an overview of the evolution of children's rights before the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Based on a chronological approach, it is a comprehensive social and cultural history of children's rights, of the way they developed over the course of the last centuries. While not building on a strict history of diplomatic relations, this module provides an international perspective on this evolution. It aims to underline the multiplicity of actors, networks and organizations involved in the defense and promotion of children's rights, over time. Also, it emphasizes crucial moments of this history, such as the adoption of international legal instruments on the rights of the child, the two World Wars, etc.
This module will nonetheless challenge common understandings of the history of children's rights. For instance, instead of describing it as a linear success story, it will highlight progress as well as failures. Also, the idea that the rights of the child are a 20th Century invention will be balanced. By doing so, we aim to provide a complex understanding of the history of children's rights and detailed contexts for the topics they cover (e.g. child labor, juvenile justice, etc.) and that will be studied later in this MOOC.
Conoce a los instructores
Roberta RuggieroDr
Center for Children's Rights Studies
Philip D. JafféProfessor
Center for Children's Rights Studies
Jean ZermattenDr. h. c.
Center for Children's Rights Studies and International Institute for Children's Rights
[MUSIC]
>> Now we will show you three sequences presenting the evolution of
the children's rights debate in various settings.
Africa Latin America and Asia with a focus on India's experience.
>> I'm going to speak about evolution of children's rights in Africa,
the harmonization of children's laws in domestic legislations in Africa.
And a bit of reflection of some of the opportunities but
also the challenge that exists in terms of pushing the boundaries for
the realization of children's rights in Africa.
Historically, I think it would be very difficult to say that traditional Africa
respected children's rights.
But I think, while saying this, we also need to acknowledge the fact that a number
of practices within the African continent.
Actually indicate that women and children were actually given a lot of values.
You might find some practicing some traditions where,
even during times of war, children and women are to be unharmed.
So even though that the notion of children's rights is a relative feat
recent import.
I think there are a lot of areas where the African continent as a continent but
also national state or respective counties can actually be proud of.
Now, in terms of a regional instruments, the African charter or
the rights and welfare of the child faces its background from 1979.
In 1979, the Dale organization of African community decided to come up
with a declaration on the rights and welfare of the child.
It's not able that 1979 was also the year that the convention on the rise of
the child was actually proposed by the government of Poland.
So, the build up towards the African child and the rights and welfare of child,
traces it's background from 1979 when this declaration was made In 1990.
1989, 1990 a drafting of the African charter on the rise where the child took
place and in 1990, immediately after one year.
The adoption of the commission rights of the child,
the African charter on the rise where in the child was adopted.
At that point, from 1990 onwards it took 9 years for
the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the child to come into effect.
But I think it's also important to recognize that even before it came into
effect, a number of African countries were taking account of that instrument.
To actually overhaul all legislation, most of it was inherited from the colonial era.
So, in terms of harmonization of children slows in Africa, the process for
harmonization has started much earlier before
the African child on the rights with the child was adopted.
But, it's gained a lot of momentum after the adoption of the Convention Rights of
the Child and
the adoption of the African Child on the Rights and Welfare of the child.
Currently, a lot of African countries have adopted
new laws pertain to children's rights.
Some are called Children's Acts, Children's Proclamation,
Children's Status.
And one of the peculiar things that actually come in and noted from most of
these instruments, is that they combine provision post from the convention.
And the rest of the child pro, so the African Charter on the rights and
worth for the child.
And many countries In fact, more than 35 to 40 countries have overhauled their main
legislation that pertains to children's rights in their respective jurisdictions.
One particular element that is also noted is that why most of this countries
actually under take the harmonization of their laws, fighting to children's rights.
Different countries have taken different route,
sometimes it's half come up with a comprehensive children's act of statute.
That covers protection well being are also civic,
are also criminal justice and juvenile justice issues.
Other countries have gone in a direction where the main children's statute actually
covers issues of custody protection so forth.
And coming up is an additional statute or
law that actually covers the juvenile justice issues.
An example of the latter could be South Africa that has the Children Act 38 of
2005 covering many issues pertaining to children's side.
But also the child justice act that came into force in 2010,
covering issues pertaining to the administration of juvenile justice.
Now there are a number of challenge that children's rights in Africa currently face
and some of them have been there for a long period of time.
Maybe the most important one is the issue of poverty,
child poverty is very and poverty is a cycle.
If the grandfather or grandparents were living under poverty,
the parents will probably under poverty and the children will continue that cycle.
And of course in the majority of instances their way to break this
cycle is through education and a number of African county's have recognize.
And increasing and continue to recognize the role that free and compulsory and
primary education continues to play.
Secondly, the challenge that are post by traditions, customs and
religious practices, that go against the provisions of the African charter
still continue to post a lot of challenge.
Issues of issues of child marriage, or a number of other harmful practices
that are prevalent in a number of African countries continue to pose actually for
the realization of these rights.
Certainly, the development of institutions that aren't properly given the mandate,
that actually have sufficient resources, both human and financial resources.
And that actually our cost cutting and
properly coordinated continues to be a big challenge.
For instance, in a number of African countries where
juvenile courts are established in the majority of instances
these courts only exist in the capital city or in some of the major cities.
They don't have a national coverage, so in this regard accessibility for
the purpose of the [INAUDIBLE] of juvenile justice becomes a very big challenge.
In terms of rolling out birth registration, it is extremely important
that the institutions that are involved in the registration of birth are actually
prepared with resources financially but also in terms of human resources.
They need to be able to go at the lowest level, be it district, local level in
order to ensure that every child is registered immediately after birth.
So the effort of African governments to establish,
designate, and to reinforce the various institutions.
National human rights institutions, statistics institutions,
ministries dealing with children's rights, ministries of education,
ministries of health, and the kind of training.
In capacity building, the prices that are working with and for children in these
various institutions is one of the biggest challenge that we face as we move forward.
But I don't only want to talk about the challenge that we face,
I also have to say a few words about the opportunities that currently exist.
For instance, a number of countries' economies are growing significantly.
Fort instance, Ethiopia has been registering economic growth in the range
of of 9% to 12% in the last 5 years and this is not peculiar to Ethiopia.
A number of African countries have registered a number of significant
economic growth in the last five years.
So the opportunity to translate some of these financial resources and
economic to something positive to the live
reality of children on the ground is actually extremely huge.
And a number of African countries and a number of political leadership is
completely aware of this opportunities and is trying to tap in to them.
The other opportunity that currently exist actually comes up
with the sustainable development goals.
A number of African countries have taken a lot of advantage in terms of
the The Millennium Development Goals that have had to promote children's rights.
And there is still a lot of hope in terms of how the forthcoming sustainable
development goals will have to push the boundaries for
the realization of children's rights in Africa.
And sadly, a number of African countries still realize the role that
traditional leaders, religious leaders and
customary leaders actually play for the realization of children's rights.
In this regard, it is becoming increasingly important to involve
traditional leaders and religious leaders and even priests,
imams to talk about children's' rights in their sermons.
To denounce some of the harmful practices that actually go against
children's' rights.
And by making sure that this important opinion leaders, and
these not only particular to one region in Africa, it is true for
all corners of the African Continent.
By bringing them on board for the realization and promotion of children's
rights, quite a number of significant progress is being made.
>> Hello everyone,
I'm going to talk to you about evolution of child rights in Asia.
Asia is a large and
populous continent where 60% of the world's population resides.
In terms of only the child population,
India has the highest child population in the world followed by China.
It is also a highly diverse continent in terms of social organization,
economic status, political system and
cultural ethos of countries that form the Asian continent.
Therefore, it is difficult to make a generalizations about how
childhood is experienced and how children's rights are constructed in Asia.
If you see the map here,
you will find that the UNCRC is rectified by all Asian countries.
In fact, they were among the first set of countries to ratify the treaty,
despite the huge gap that existed between the provisions that were laid down in
the UNCRC and the existing realities in these countries.
Optional protocol to the UNCRC on sale of children, child prostitution, and
child pornography has also been gratified by all Asian countries.
The optional protocol of involvement of children in
conflicts has been gratified by almost all countries in Asia
with the exception of the democratic people republic of Korea.
The optional protocol three of communication procedure has been signed by
only Mongolia and Thailand.
There is no regional charter or treaty of child rights, similar to what Africa has.
There is a SAARC convention on regional arrangement for
promotion of child welfare in South Asia, but it does not include all dimensions
of regional specificities that are associated with childhood in Asia.
Although article 37 of the VNR declaration underline the fundamental rule
of regional arrangements, in protecting,
promoting and realizing human rights at the regional level.
Affords to establish any kind of regional mechanism in Asia,
on human rights has been unsuccessful so far.
Child rights violations in the region also present a very stark picture.
Problems such as hunger, malnutrition, lack of access to education and
health facilities, poor quality of education child labor,
trafficking of children for labor.
As well prostitution, homelessness due to large scale of organization,
child marriage, children coming in conflict with law, child sexual abuse.
Children affected by natural as well as man made disasters
are some of the main problems seeing in the region.
Existence of domestic legislation addressing these problems has been
unnecessary but not a sufficient condition to protect children from these abuses.
Speaking specifically about the Indian context,
we're the largest child population of the world resides.
There has been a growing acknowledgement of child rights at the policy level
since early 2000.
This can be seen as increasing juridification of child rights in India
using the tripology suggested by Blechnum at Molando.
In 2008, there are at least three process evident in relation to China.
First we find that there is an expansion of actors and
practices are being regulated by legislation.
We see this in the context of right of children to education act of 2009.
That is regulating various practices pertaining to children's education.
The protection of children against sexual offences act is another example.
The second process of [INAUDIBLE] that we find is the hardening of policy
provisions for child rights.
By getting them incorporated into [INAUDIBLE] Because new groups
are now getting recognized and viewed as legal subjects.
For example the advocacy around the legislation for young children,
indicates that there is a push to get the young children seen as legal subjects.
And their entitlement a qualified through legislation and
code is the process by which conflicts are increasingly being solved by.
And with reference to log as we see through happening through increased access
to judicial recourse when there are violations.
I would now like to conclude by raising two main tensions Intercalating
drive rights agenda, then the social-political discourse in the region.
The first tension relates to the classic debate between universalist and
relativist positions.
And it is important point out that these are sharp work and
more acute in the case of children in Asia where children's rights
are seen to be upsetting Asian values.
The second tension relates to the fact that countries, especially those from
South Asia, which are the the economic status.
Have not been able to provide for children's economic, social and
cultural rights.
Under the pre-text that these are not affordable and
countries have also remained indifferent to children's civil and political rights.
Because children are not seen as a [INAUDIBLE]
the entire range of first,
as well as second generation of rights.
Get side lined making the provisions of UNCRC
a I hope this encourages you to study and work on child rights.
[MUSIC]
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