Contemporary Childhoods - in an age of children ’ s rights

1. Contemporary Childhoods - in an age of children’s rights Nóirín Hayes School of Social Sciences and Law, Dublin Institute of Technology, Centre for Social and Educational Research noirin.hayes@dit.ie

2. Human Rights/Children’s Rights • Human Rights • Inherent, universal rights of all human beings • Held by all equally, universally and forever • Inalienable, indivisible, independent • Democratic ideals • Universal Declaration of Human Rights • http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/background.shtm • Children’s Rights are additional/specific rights

3. Brief History • Childhood – a contested concept • Recognition of childhood – 16th/17th centuries – child no longer a miniature adult • By early 18th century there were some references to the rights of children • Various campaigns to abolish child labour [US/UK] • 1924 – Declaration on the Rights of the Child [Eglantyne Jebb] adopted by League of Nations • Accepted by UN and updated in 1959 • Replaced by more extensive UN Convention in 1989

4. UNCRC and childhood • The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child • Is a landmark in the history of childhood • Embodies a symbolic re-arrangement of the place of children in society • Positions the child as an object of protection and a subject of rights • Is driving an important change in the legal paradigm - - from child as object to child as subject

5. Opportunities and challenges • Transformation from authoritarian, paternalistic and discriminating practices • But - - some key concepts are vague, indefinite, ambiguous and highly contested • High international consensus on principles – low intensity of enforcement • Participation often confused with consultation – devoid of political value and empty of real significance

6. The arguments for Children’s Rights • Children are individuals • Children start life dependent on others • Government policies impact on children more strongly than on any other group in society • Children’s views are rarely heard, rarely considered

7. The arguments for Children’s Rights • Changes in society have more sudden and disproportionate impacts on children • Healthy development of children is a benefit to all • Well educated children are a benefit to all • Costs of failing children are significant and long-term - - - for them and for society

8. A ‘rights’ view of children • Considering children through a rights based lens we see children who are: • Competent • Strong • Active • Participatory • Meaning-makers • Fellow citizens

9. Respecting children - realising children’s rights • Influencing society and raising awareness • Children still seen as ‘lesser’ or ‘inferior’ • Concept of rights is abstract • Attitudes are firmly held • Hearts and minds difficult to change • Government commitment • Policy priorities • Budget allocation • Resistance to real engagement with the concept of children’s rights in practice – including media practice