Children's Rights

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was incorporated into international law in 1989. Since its adoption, it has been ratified by nearly all member nations. An outline of the basic rights of all persons under the age of 18, the Convention has various implications and its importance cannot be contested. This collection focuses on children's rights as defined by the U.N. Convention, and their relevance in both national and international contexts.

The contributors discuss the Convention from different disciplinary perspectives, but are united in the belief that it is a tool to be utilized and contextualized by individuals, institutions, and communities. If there is a single conviction to be found throughout Children's Rights it is that the rights of the child are far too important to be left to states alone to provide and protect. To paint a detailed picture of the subject as a whole, the volume looks at situations in which the basic rights of children are often denied such as violent social conflict, parental abandonment, and social inequality. Consisting of thirteen essays by prominent scholars, it is an in-depth and interdisciplinary exploration of the significance of children's rights, and a tremendous resource for those working with children and youth in institutional and educational settings.

Tom O’Neill is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University.
Dawn Zinga is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University.