ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the reader, in particular non-lawyers, with an outline of some of the key sources, concepts and institutions relating to international law, which are necessary to understand the international law relating to children. Thus, the reader will find little about the law of the sea, territorial sovereignty, state succession and other concepts and institutions which do not relate directly to the subject of this book. This chapter contains some basic information about the main international organisations and institutions, in particular those that are connected to international children's rights. The work of the Hague Conference has been to draw up multilateral conventions over a number of private international law fields including conflict of laws issues, the recognition of companies, jurisdiction and foreign judgments, and international judicial and administrative co-operation.
