A look at children's rights

1. What are the fundamental rights of children as outlined by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)?

2. How do children’s rights vary across different countries and cultures?

3. How do education and access to schooling affect children’s rights and opportunities?

• What are you researching?

I am researching children's rights as a general topic, but then quickly focusing in on different regions of the world. I want to spread the focus on places with different political views, governments, religions, beliefs, etc. I feel like this will give me a chance to see how the rights and access to necessities will differ between places who are generally known to treat citizens/children well, and places who do not get that sort of reputation.

• What are the major/relevant themes/issues mentioned in what you’ve found?

Children's rights contain connections to many themes, issues and events throughout history, many of which are still relevant today. Some big issues include poverty, hunger, wars, political standards and death from sicknesses. A lot of these issues are created because of access to materials like healthcare, clean water and education.

• Why are you choosing to focus on it in this course?

I am choosing to focus on children's rights because it is a necessary issue that will impact the future of our world. People tend to overlook the rights of children, whether that's just not knowing, or even being in cultures where children are not seen as individuals with their own rights but rather as dependents of their parents or guardians. If I can at least inform myself about the topic and know the real reasons behind their struggling, then I am at least able to know what to look for and look for ways I can help.

• What is the source about, or what is the author’s point?
• How does this specific source contribute to your research?
• What did you learn from it?

World Bank. (2020, October 20). 1 in 6 children lives in extreme poverty, World Bank-UNICEF analysis shows. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/10/20/1-in-6-children-lives-in-extreme-poverty-world-bank-unicef-analysis-shows

What is the source about, or what is the author’s point: This source is about relevance of extreme poverty among children globally. The author’s main point is that children are disproportionately affected by extreme poverty, and urgent action is needed from governments to address this crisis. The author emphasizes that without significant intervention, millions of children risk being trapped in poverty, which would just end up repeating cycles of inequality and underdevelopment.

How does this specific source contribute to your research: As it is, poverty is one of the leading factors in children not getting the access to what they need, i.e. their rights to basic needs like healthcare, food, clothes, shelter, and a livable life. Younger children, especially under five, are the most vulnerable. Fragile and conflict-affected regions face higher child poverty rates. Social protection measures like cash transfers, have been brought into use in many countries as short-term responses but are often insufficient for long-term recovery. Governments are encouraged to enhance social protection systems, prioritize investments in family-friendly policies, and strengthen human capital development to reduce the impact of poverty and better prepare for future crises.

Extreme poverty is defined as living on $1.90 or less, per day. This scale of child poverty is alarming. With 1 in 6 (around 365 million) children living in extreme poverty before the COVID19 pandemic, this shows a scary trend that could very easily keep increasing due to economic impacts. Children are unequally impacted by poverty, making up half of the global population in extreme poverty, and are over twice as likely to experience extreme poverty compared to adults. Children in fragile and conflict-affected regions are at much higher risk of poverty and surprisingly some of that poverty is linked to household's dependent on agriculture.

Human Rights Watch. (2022, September 13). US states fail to protect children’s rights. Human Rights Watch. from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/09/13/us-states-fail-protect-childrens-rights

What is the source about, or what is the author’s point: This Human Rights Watch article discusses how multiple U.S. states fall short in protecting children's rights, particularly in areas such as healthcare, education, and protection from violence. The article highlights systemic and policy failures that harm children, including those from low-income families, racial minorities, and immigrant communities. The author’s main point is to bring to attention the need for state governments to implement programs that align with international human rights standards, which would ensure that all children have access to basic rights and opportunities. It states that failing to address these gaps repeats cycles of poverty and inequality, which in turn, will harm children’s well-being and future outlooks.

How does this specific source contribute to your research: This source contributes to children's rights as a whole by emphasizing critical gaps in U.S. state policies that fail to protect and promote their basic rights. It sheds light on inequalities such as education, healthcare, and child welfare, which impact different groups of kids like low-income families and immigrants. The article calls for urgent reforms to ensure that all children can access their fundamental rights, something that should be already applied and not fought for. This source also puts effort into raising public awareness and holding governments accountable for their responsibilities, like ensuring children are afforded their basic rights. In this way, it contributes to the larger effort to advance children’s rights both on a national and global scale.

From this article, I gathered that significant gaps exist in the protection of children's rights within the United States, especially in areas like healthcare, education, and protection from violence. The article also highlights how state governments are often failing to meet international human rights standards, leaving many children vulnerable to inequality and harm. The article states an important piece of data on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the primary international treaty on the rights of children and says, "The United States is the only country that has failed to ratify the Convention, ratified by 196 countries." Jo Becker, children’s rights advocacy director for Human Rights Watch responds and says, “For people who believe the US is treating its children well, this assessment is a rude awakening.” I believe that Jo is right when saying that this assessment is scary and should scare people who think that the US is the best of the best in every category.

Harvard Law School. (n.d.). Children’s rights are human rights. Harvard Law School. from https://hls.harvard.edu/today/childrens-rights-are-human-rights/

What is the source about, or what is the author’s point: This article works to highlight the relationship between children's rights with and the broader form of all human rights. It follows the work of Benyam Dawit Mezmur, a scholar at Harvard Law School and expert on international child rights, who chases key issues affecting children globally. He focuses on some key issues like abuse, neglect, education, and legal protections. Mezmur refers to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and backs its necessity by saying, “Universal rights treaties were intended to address the rights of ‘everyone,’ but the reality was that they were … not always interpreted to include persons with disabilities, and in some instances, women were not included, and even less so, children." This furthers his point in comparing human rights to children's rights by showing that the treaties which serve and protect us as humans and individuals, does not always reach to everyone (children). By making this comparison he then shows why the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was needed. Furthermore, he also broadens his approach to show how protecting children serves as a foundation for advancing human rights. The article is a call to action for different professions like scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to put children's rights at the front of our agenda and start to put effort into our future through our kids.

How does this specific source contribute to your research: The article Children’s rights are human rights relates children's rights within the broader framework of global human rights in a couple of ways. To start, it talks about how children's rights interact with various areas of necessity like education, health, legal protection, and social welfare. One of the main ways of connection was through the use and support of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Mezmur, using the convention as a backing, emphasizes that protecting children is not just a moral obligation but also a legal and societal need.

The examination of children's rights in this article assesses their vulnerabilities and needs and works on ensuring their protection as well as retaining their spot in society. It focuses on the need for measures to translate international commitments into policies to ensure that children's rights are maintained and respected across conflict zones and marginalized areas. Although children's rights are still not completely resolved as an issue, Mezmur remains optimistic with his final statement, “We aren’t yet at the point where children are recognized as independent rights holders throughout the world — that is still a work in progress, but what the UN Convention has done is to ensure that human rights are for everyone — and that includes children. Children are no longer mini human beings with mini rights.”

Amnesty International. (n.d.). Child rights. Amnesty International. Retrieved November 25, 2024, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/child-rights/

What is the source about, or what is the author’s point: The Amnesty International page, Child Rights, focuses on the organization’s promotion for the protection of children's rights worldwide. It highlights key areas of concern, such as child labor, access to education, child marriage, and the treatment of children in conflict zones. The source highlights the urgent need for governments and international bodies to uphold children’s rights that are stated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which would ensure that every child can grow up safer and in places with better equality. The author’s main point is to raise awareness about continuous violations of children’s rights and to call for global action to address these crimes.

How does this specific source contribute to your research: This source contributes to my research by providing an overview of the challenges that children face and the barriers preventing them from realizing (or being able to adhere to their rights. I learned about the varying conditions of children’s rights issues, such as how factors like poverty, conflict, and discrimination lead to violations. The source also hinted at promotion strategies and legal frameworks, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, that can be used to protect children’s rights in the future. This information is useful in understanding the global context of children’s rights and identifying areas where reforms and interventions are definitely needed.

Children’s Rights. (2024, November 25). Children’s Rights celebrates every child’s right to a safe and nurturing childhood at glittering NYC event. Children’s Rights. from- https://www.childrensrights.org/news-voices/childrens-rights-celebrates-every-childs-right-to-a-safe-and-nurturing-childhood-at-glittering-nyc-event

What is the source about, or what is the author’s point: This article is summarizing and showcasing the 2024 Children’s Rights Benefit, held at New York City’s Mandarin Oriental. This event focused on hammering down on the unacceptable neglect and continuance of children's rights. It showcases various people involved in the children's rights community who all came together to raise funds and voice their support for change. This article and the event are a reminder of a few things. The first is that neglect of children's rights is still a relevant and ongoing issue in our country and even more, our world. The second is that the movement is gaining ground. With the numerous celebrities who showed up at the event, it's proof that the voice is getting out and people are being recognized for contribution.

How does this specific source contribute to your research: This source contributes to my research of children's rights by showing some of the recognition for people who have, and continue to, make a difference in the lives of our younger generations. The big gathering and support behind children's rights prove that the issue has not yet been resolved. It shows the importance of community and engagement from as many people as possible and how building a movement can and will help the lives of the kids who are constantly unable to support themselves.

Section III - Interpretation and Conclusion

Finally, summarize what all of these sources say about your topic. Try to use examples, analogies, etc. directed at the following questions. Please use complete paragraphs (at least three sentences) to answer the following questions.

Answer these three questions:

• Having completed your research, what have you learned?

Having completed my research, I have learned that the issue of children's rights is still very much relevant. Things like the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was enacted to ensure that all children have access to basic rights and opportunities, have increased the awareness and validation of rights for kids. I have learned that the more vulnerable areas like conflict-affected regions automatically render their kids into a more helpless state just based off of location alone. Poverty, illness, disease, cultural neglect and legal protection are all huge factors that impact kids in more ways than one.

• What does what you’ve learned have to do with themes, concepts or issues we’ve covered in class?

Children's rights are connected to many of the themes that we have learned throughout our class. Let's take human-environment interaction. The environment significantly impacts children’s well-being, development, and ability to exercise their rights because of things like sickness, access to clean sources of food and water and natural disasters that could affect the possibility of education. Other themes like Location and place also have a big part in my study because the issue of children's rights is very widespread and affects people differently depending on their cultural norms, environment, and government's interaction.

• What claims can you make about your topic and the Human Planet more generally?

I can make a couple claims about children's rights and the Human Planet, the first being that Children's rights are central to a sustainable future. This is because children represent the most crucial demographic for ensuring a good and long-lasting future for our planet. Another claim I can make is that human actions on the planet directly impact children's rights. Things like deforestation, urbanization, and pollution all impact the environment that kids grow up in. Poor air and water quality (things caused by the environmental impacts listed above) all impact children's lives and their quality of life, especially at a younger age.