According to Article 12 of the UNCRC, children have a legal right to have their views heard and acted upon as appropriate. In Ireland, this applies to local planning processes concerning children's localities whereby legislation was specifically enacted to recognise children as a group who were entitled to participate in the local planning…

Researchers who involve children in their research are faced with the challenge of choosing between differing theoretical approaches which can prioritise children's autonomy rights or their "vulnerability" and their need to be protected. Somewhat confusingly, ethical guidelines seem to reflect a combination of these approaches. Even when…

In the face of growing international support for recognition of child-headed households, the author poses the following questions: What does the internationally recognised right to alternative care for children entail? Is the recognition of child-headed households as a form of alternative care in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child…

Outcomes for children and young people in their learning and in their lives often improve when they are actively involved in decision making. The increasing recognition of rights of children and young people to be heard, to have their views taken seriously and involved in decisions is expressed in national and international developments in…

The right to birth registration, the official recording of the birth of a child by some administrative level of the state as a permanent and official record of a child's existence, is enshrined in the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. This digest examines birth registration, a right that opens the door to other rights, including…

Analyzes three conceptions of children's rights and explores the tensions between them as realized in the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and the development of the "best interest" principle. Advocates reconceptualization of the debate to see local perspectives as functioning in relation to--rather than opposed to--global…

Presents the text of a lecture that looks at the declaratory, procedural, and monitoring features of a Children Act that would encompass lessons from the past to enhance the future of Scottish children. Also discusses four major questions at the heart of child-centered legislation. (TJQ)

The most revolutionary element of UNICEF's approach to the implementation of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child is the integration of the principles of the Convention into individual countries' programs for children. The convention has impacted UNICEF by broadening it's framework for analyzing the situation of children. This…

Compares international standards on intercountry adoption provided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, and their interpretation by the Committee on the Rights of the Child. Discusses adoption measures of several countries, including…

Examines cooperative efforts among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in France to implement the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of the Child. Describes collaborative efforts between NGO committees and government authorities, highlighting government experts' recommendations for changes in four areas of French law to conform to…

Analyzes the history of public concern regarding children's rights in the 20th century. Details the political process leading to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, the ratification of the Convention, and its political effects, and presents hypotheses regarding determinants of the Convention's worldwide impact. Notes areas where…