The CRC 20 years: An overview of some of the major achievements and remaining challenges

Children’s rights to participation and protection in international development and humanitarian interventions: nurturing a dialogue

“…1 In contrast, as Doek outlines, it is essential to stop considering these children and young people 2 only as 'victims', as they are rights-holding individuals whose dignity and physical and psychological integrity must be respected. 3 Children's rights require a different approach that respects children and young people and their capacities and involves them as active participants in finding solutions to issues affecting them. However, children's rights to participation continue to be difficult to realise in practice.…”

Children’s rights in pediatrics

“…As it took cultural and ideological differences of countries into account, it was therefore ratified by all but two states (Somalia and USA) [36]. It has since gained wider acceptance than any other previous human rights document and is the most far-reaching and comprehensive commitment to children's rights [13]. Although the thesis that the concept of childhood itself is an achievement attained through cultural advancement is increasingly disputed, many historical sources point to the fact that, for hundreds of years, children in western culture were viewed mainly as property without effective protection or laws.…”

Children and global social policy: Exploring the impact of international governmental organisations

“…Other international initiatives have also had a tangible impact. Many states parties to the UN CRC have acted to bring national laws into compliance (Doek, 2009). Legislation introduced in the early 1990s in European states that signed the convention emphasised the observance of children's needs and wishes.…”

“…A more recent review argued that the impact of the CRC had been ‘rapid, widespread and sustained’, with a ‘thriving discourse’ on rights and the establishment of independent human rights institutions and national coordinating mechanisms in many countries (Innocenti Research Centre, 2004b: 19). The growing emphasis over the last two decades on children's entitlement to participate in decisions concerning them and to be protected from exploitation and abuse might reasonably be attributed in large part to the CRC (Doek, 2009).…”

“…Perversely, countries with poor human rights records may be as or even more likely than countries with better records to ratify treaties, but less likely to fulfil their commitments (Buck, 2008). Thus, an evaluation of the implementation of the CRC during its first 10 years identified gaps between vision and reality in relation to poverty, health, discrimination and investment in social services (Save the Children, 1999, 2001), and after 20 years there are still barriers preventing the implementation of legislative change (Doek, 2009). To give one example, the UK was criticised in the 2002 review by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child for failing to appoint a Commissioner for Children and also for tolerating smacking.…”