Children’s rights – a threat to social stability or the way forward?

Children's rights are often seen as an irresponsible threat to the status quo. Organisations like the Children's Rights Alliance for England at times stand accused of wilfully damaging society by presenting children as rights-holders who should be afforded the same dignity, respect and integrity as adults.

I could advance intellectual arguments on the normalising role of human rights and how this is — or should be — applied to children. I could ruminate on the role of children in society and how this has — or has not — moved on from the established Victorian tenet of "seen and not heard". But for me, children's rights are much simpler than that. They're about recognising every child as a human being in his or her own right, deserving of protection and support to enable every child to develop to his or her full potential.

Too touchy feely for you? Then let's take a look at the legalities. Children's rights are enshrined in international law in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and other human rights treaties. Some rights are part of UK domestic law. Others are not. All are equally important. And all reflect the things we would wish for children in an equal and just society. The right to be protected from harm. The right to have decisions made in a child's best interests. The right for a child to contribute to those decisions and have a say on matters affecting them. The right to privacy. The right to education. The right to family life. The right to health. And these rights are for all children. Rights do not distinguish between the "good" and the "bad".

Demonstrating that children have a place in our society by protecting and promoting their human rights builds a stronger society. Ensuring that children's rights are upheld empowers children and gives them better access to services, respectful and dignified treatment, equal consideration, and the right to be involved in decisions that affect them. It protects their right to family life, and gives children additional safeguards whenever they cannot live with their parents. And when those rights are not respected, it gives children a way to challenge it.

It's now nearly 20 years since the UK made a legal agreement with the UN to protect and promote children's rights. Why, then, are they still seen as such as radical idea? For me, putting children's rights into practice is absolutely the only way forward.

by Sam Dimmock
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