ABSTRACT
Concern with the issue of children’s rights in the social sciences is relatively recent in historical terms, but has been the focus of a great deal of social and political action over the last century. Increased support for children’s rights is reflected in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, United Nations General Assembly, 1989). The Convention recognizes children as active agents, holders of rights, and individuals worthy of citizenship. The CRC has served as a critically important framework and mechanism for increasing the commitment of nations worldwide to children’s political, social, economic, and cultural rights. As of the publication of this Handbook, 196 countries have ratified the CRC, including all member states of the UN, with the exception of the United States.
