Children's Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Children's Rights - Essay Example There is a need to create an atmosphere where the children could voice opinions and exercise their rights. "In passing, it may be salutary to remind ourselves, at this point that the role of children's rights in philosophical debate has more often than not been as a testing ground for theories of right whose main significance is held to lie outwith the world of the child," Alston et al (1992, p.3). This happens because adults have created this world without any voice inclusion of the child. "Many factors seem to be influence the way children are included in decision making. This could be classified into factors relating to children, factors relating to adults, and factors relating to situations," Thomas and Campling (2000, p.156). And under more or less all the circumstances, it is mainly the adults who make decisions with hardly any contribution from the children. "Underlying this is a concern that according children their 'rights' may involve adults relinquishing their 'power' and control;" Morrow (1999). In a way this could tend to overburdening children with pressure of decision making. Children's rights should have clear boundaries, separateness and proper divisibility to make them more coherent. As the adults are making laws, laying the rules and doing research without involving children's opinion, it remains mostly from the point of view of the adults. abo "In other words, children's perspectives on their rights might be a useful starting point for finding out what they already know and understand about 'citizenship', 'participation', and politics" Morlow (1999). It is also necessary to take into account the social and cultural background of the region and the limits of children's autonomy. Children, as they grow up, need more information about sex, drugs, alcohol and they have a right to know to protect themselves. Unfortunately in some societies children are discouraged from knowing them. Other factors that could influence are age, gender (this is very important in certain cultures and developing countries), and social diversities make enormous difference here. Children usually feel that they are not trusted; their opinions are not tolerated or even heard, or overruled. Participation in decision making will definitely decrease this assumption. "Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) states that all children and young people have a right to a primary education, which should be free, and those wealthy countries should help poorer countries achieve this". http://www.unicef.org.uk/tz/rights/index.asp The child has a right to depend upon the parental responsibility throughout the childhood. "Parental responsibility lasts until the child is 18, although at that upper end of childhood it should only be exercised in a way, which is consistent with the child's evolving capacity and maturity". http://www.yourrights.org.uk/your-rights/chapters/the-rights-of-children-and-young-people/parental-resposibility/aquiring-parental-responsibility.shtml Real encroachment of children's right prevails in the poverty-stricken and war-torn areas of the world. United Nations Report says: "In the last decade, an estimated two million children have been killed in armed conflict, many of them by some of the 100 million landmines thought to be