Views of Childhood and Children's Rights Flashcards
UNCRC
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
What did the UNCRC do?
Affirm children’s place and their rights in society and create a global consciousness of childhood
What is a guiding principle of the CRC? (Article 2)
Non discrimination: no child should be treated unfairly due to their race, belief, religion and social class
What is a guiding principle of the CRC? (Article 3)
Best interests of the child: all decisions made about the child should be in their best interests
What is a guiding principle of the CRC? (Article 6)
Rights to life, survival and development: Government must aim to provide children with adequate nutrition, education, healthcare and other needs
What is a guiding principle of the CRC? (Article 12)
Participation: Children have a right to be heard in all matter that concerns them
Why has the CRC been criticised?
Some argue it promotes a western understanding of childhood as a universal or ideal type
What can a promotion of western understandings of childhood result in?
Illegitimising non-western childhoods because they do not conform to the ‘ideal’ type
What largely informs the CRC?
The caretaker thesis
What is the caretaker thesis?
A caretaker assumes responsibility for protecting a child’s rights because the child is not yet considered competent to exercise these rights
What do caretaker’s have to consider?
What would the child want if they were mature enough to decide for themselves
Why is the caretaker thesis considered problematic?
Not all societies agree on when children are capable of taking care of themselves
In what ways can childhoods experience differences?
Economically: children from poor families will experience a different childhood to an affluent one, Gender: girls face things such as early marriage, FGM and other discrimination, Time Wise: certain countries may have a different life expectancy
What do societies often differ in views on?
The separation of adult and child worlds
Should children be denied political participation?
Some may argue they are too immature, however not all adults are competent voters but are not denied the right to vote
Issues with adults having responsibility?
On what basis are they entrusted with this responsibility?
Roles of responsibility
Usually require a form of testing
Parenthood
Anyone can become a parent, what if they have issues such as addiction?
Limits of children’s participation rights?
Their views are only listened to if adults like what they are saying
What is a child defined as?
A human being below the age of 18 years
Differences in views of children
Some consider children able to work and provide for the family earlier than others
What does the new sociology of childhood argue?
There is not one, but many childhoods with different genders and class
