Remissness Towards Juvenile Rights
The guiding principles set out this year by UNICEF state that, “Children’s rights are human rights for children.” The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is an international legal agreement (or ‘treaty’) that recognizes specific rights of children. ‘Rights’ are entitlements every child should have, all children have the same rights that are listed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and almost every country has agreed to respect them in practice. All these rights are connected and all are equally important — they cannot be taken away from children. Children have the right to: Protection (e.g. from violence, exploitation and harmful substances). Participation (e.g. to be heard and taken seriously, and to join organizations). Provision (e.g. for education, health care and an adequate standard of living). Specific protection and provisions (e.g. in case they are of part of a vulnerable population, such as indigenous children and children with disabilities). The Convention on the Rights of the Child 2017 sets out these rights in 54 articles. Article 37 describes the rights of child offenders: “Children who break the law should not be killed, tortured, treated cruelly, put in prison forever, or put in prison with adults. Prison should be the last choice and only for the shortest possible time. Children in prison should have legal help and be able to stay in contact with their family.” Article 40 of the Convention further emphasizes for a child offender to be able to access to…