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THE UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD. adopted by the United Nations in 1989accepted international definitions of children's rights to ensure uniformity and conformity guarantees civil and political rights together with social, economic, cultural rights in one instrument. The CRC is b
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1. CHILD RIGHTS PERSPECTIVE ON THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION WHO SEMINAR, TREVISO, ITALY
(16TH-19TH SEPT, 2000)
2. THE UN CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTSOF THE CHILD adopted by the United Nations in 1989
accepted international definitions of children’s rights to ensure uniformity and conformity
guarantees civil and political rights together with social, economic, cultural rights in one instrument
3. Participatory Rights (Civil Rights)
Freedom of Opinion (Art 12)
Right to have an opinion and have it considered in all decisions affecting the child
Freedom on Expression (Art.13)
The child shall have the right to express his/her views & make ideas
Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion (Art. 14)
The State shall respect this right subject to appropriate parental guidance and law on national and public safety
Freedom to have access to appropriate information (Art.17)
recognises the important role of the media
4. Article 12 - Right to an Opinion all children have this right -particularly in judicial or admin proceedings
through (trained) counsel if necessary
the opinion will be given due weight (respect)
depending on the age and maturity of the child
not a right to self-determination but rather child’s right to involve themselves in decision-making
right to express the opinion “freely”
means without coercion or constraints
co-exists with Art 13 on freedom of expression
participation can also be through media
knowledge of this should be passed through schools
children should be taught how to “decode” messages in the media (especially through advertising)
5. Children in Judicial Proceedings - Arts.12 and 13
6. Article 13 - Right to Expression
freedom to seek, receive and impart knowledge - regardless of frontiers
either orally, in writing, print, art or any other media of the child’s choice
limitations: provided by laws deemed necessary
respect for reputations of others
protection of national security, public order, health and morals
Many Constitutions of State Parties do include this Freedom
however the Constitution should now specifically state how it applies to children
and what restrictions exists in the child’s exercise of this right
concern by many State Parties that this right is unfettered
especially the lack of the words “parental guidance”
7. Art.14 - Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion “Thought & conscience” - is with regard to all the other participatory rights
“Religion” - longer automatic that child follows the religion of the parents
exceptions are: Art 8 (preservation of identity), Art.20 (preservation of religion when deprived of parental environment), Art 30 (right to practise religion)
State Parties shall respect the rights and responsibilities of parents
whom provide “direction” to the child
direction must be in a manner consistent with child’s evolving capacities and in conformity with CRC
limitation to this right
laws, public health, morals, order and freedoms of others
8. Art. 17 - Right to access to appropriate information Important role of media
should have info of social and cultural benefit - an educational tool
with regard to freedom of expression “to seek, impart and receive information”
with regard to special needs of the child (eg. linguistic)
“access” - no special mention of rural/urban poor
“Appropriate information”
from national and international sources
production and dissemination of children’s books
for the promotion of child’s social and moral well-being
promotion of child’s physical and mental health
State - to have guidelines on what constitutes “injurious material”
9. No access to information .. but lots of expression!
10. Realisation of Participation Rights
The media has a very important role to promote the various categories of rights
11. Promote Survival Rights
12. Promote Developmental Rights
Right to name and nationality (art.7)
right not to be separated from their parents (Art.9)
right to privacy (Art. 16)
Right to the highest standard of health (Art.24)
Right to highest attainable standard of living (Art.27)
right to appropriate alternative care (Art. 20,21, 23)
right to education (Art.28, 29)
13. Promote Protection Rights from exploitative work (Art.32)
from all other exploitative activities (Art.36)
15. Promote Protection from All forms of Violence (Art.19, 34)
16. Promote Joint Parental Responsibility - assisted by the State (Art.18)
17. Promote the Right not to be Discriminated (eg.Girl Child) (Art.2)
18. To make Children’s Rights more of a reality and not merely a rhetoric Conclusion
19. CONCLUSION Not only important to have ratified to UN CRC
Articles and principles should be translated into law
programme and activities to encourage promotion of these rights
Any reservations made by State Parties
quite possibly made in haste understanding the actual intention of the articles concerned - should therefore be removed
The UN Convention overcomes
discrimination of sex, race, colour, creed and religion by making rights universal and inalienable
It is therefore everyone’s responsibility to translate those principles into reality
20. Thank you...