Introduction, by Jan Martenson.

In 2014 the world’s most widely ratified human rights treaty, one specifically for children, reached the milestone of its twenty-fifth anniversary. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and in the time since then it has entered a new century, reshaping laws, policies, institutions and practices across the globe, along with fundamental conceptions of who children are, their rights and entitlements, and society’s duties and obligations to them. Yet despite its rapid entry into force worldwide, there are concerns that the Convention remains a high-level paper treaty without the traction on the ground needed to address ever-continuing violations of children’s rights. This book, based on papers from the conference ‘25 Years CRC’ held by the Department of Child Law at Leiden University, draws together a rich collection of research and insight by academics, practitioners, NGOs and other specialists to reflect on the lessons of the past 25 years, take stock of how international rights find their way into children’s lives at the local level, and explore the frontiers of children’s rights for the 25 years ahead.

This in-depth text goes beyond the rhetoric of the debate on children’s rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in particular, to provide a detailed examination of the impact that U.S. ratification of the Convention would have on U.S. law. The chapters have been written by leading children’s advocates and scholars with a general audience in mind, as the authors believe that it is important for all Americans to become informed about the Convention and about children’s rights in general. With a greater understanding of the substance of the Convention and children’s rights, readers will be better positioned to determine what the real issues are, what is simply rhetoric without any basis in fact or law, and how they can address the real issues in an effective manner in order to provide a better world for all children.

The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international treaty that aims to protect the rights of children worldwide. It defines a child as any human being under the age of 18, and calls on Parties to take all appropriate measures to ensure that children¿s rights are protected -- incl. the right to a name and nationality, freedom of speech and thought, access to healthcare and educ., and freedom from exploitation, torture, and abuse. CRC entered into force in Sept. 1990, and has been ratified by 193 countries. Two countries, the U.S. and Somalia, have not ratified CRC. This report provides an overview of CRC¿s background and structure and examines evolving U.S. policy toward the Convention, incl. past and current Admin. positions.

This volume constitutes a commentary on Article 17 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is part of the series, A Commentary on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which provides an article by article analysis of all substantive, organizational and procedural provisions of the CRC and its two Optional Protocols. For every article, a comparison with related human rights provisions is made, followed by an in-depth exploration of the nature and scope of State obligations deriving from that article. The series constitutes an essential tool for actors in the field of children’s rights, including academics, students, judges, grassroots workers, governmental, non- governmental and international officers. The series is sponsored by the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most extensive and widely ratified international human rights treaty. This Commentary offers a comprehensive analysis of each of the substantive provisions in the Convention and its Optional Protocols on Children and Armed Conflict, and the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Pornography. It provides a detailed insight into the drafting history of these instruments, the scope and nature of the rights accorded to children, and the obligations imposed on states to secure the implementation of these rights. In doing so, it draws on the work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, international, regional, and domestic courts, academic and interdisciplinary scholarly analyses. It is of relevance to anyone working on matters affecting children including government officials, policy makers, judicial officers, lawyers, educators, social workers, health professionals, academics, aid and humanitarian workers, and members of civil society.

This Commentary provides the first comprehensive legal article-by-article analysis of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Convention is the key international human rights instrument exclusively devoted to persons with disabilities and the centerpiece of international efforts to address inequalities and barriers they encounter to the full enjoyment of human rights. The book discusses the Convention’s position within existing international human rights law and within the framework of the United Nations measures to protect the rights of people with disabilities. Starting with the background of all the Convention’s articles, including the travaux préparatoires, this Commentary examines each provision’s substance and interpretation, and explores the significance of each right, its legal scope and relationship with other international legal norms and principles. A unique contribution also analyzes the Optional Protocol to the Convention. In addition to enriching academic studies of international human rights law, the book provides insights into the practical operation of the Convention’s provisions by assessing the practice of the CRPD Committee, the activities of relevant international and regional human rights bodies in enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities and the contracting parties’ implementation practices. Relevant European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union and, if appropriate, other regional jurisdictions’ case law, as well as the jurisprudence of domestic courts, are taken into consideration. Contributions from leading scholars and international experts make this book an indispensable resource for lawyers, academics, students, journalists, international organizations, NGOs and other stakeholders wanting to better understand the rights of people with disabilities. Furthermore, it makes a valuable contribution to appraising the impact of the Convention in the legal orders of contracting parties and to charting the way forward in the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.

A growing international consensus exists that societies have an obligation to promote and protect children's rights to survival, protection, participation, and development. These three essays consider UNICEF's role in implementing the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. "The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: More Than a New Utopia?" discusses obstacles to the effective implementation of the Convention, urging UNICEF and other organizations to take up the challenge of meeting the goals of the Convention. Three ways the Convention can be used to good effect are discussed, and four practical steps from the field of development or social planning for implementation of the Convention are identified. "Reflections on Indicators Concerning the Rights of the Child" discusses indicators that measure human rights performance relating to children in developing countries. Two initiatives of UNICEF's International Child Development Centre in Florence, Italy, are described, and types of indicators and reporting and monitoring processes are considered. "Children's Rights: Opportunities, Dilemmas and Pitfalls Facing UNICEF and Its Partners" suggests that UNICEF must strengthen its capacity to play a more active role in implementing the Convention. How this role is likely to involve UNICEF in controversial and politically sensitive issues is discussed, as are the negotiating, political, technical, and hands-on skills UNICEF must acquire to meet this challenge. (TM).

4. Rest and leisure.

This fascicle offers a comparison with related human rights provisions, followed by an in-depth exploration of the nature and scope of State obligations deriving from Article 6.