Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on one specific group of marginalized children, child refugees and raises the difficulties that those outside of international human rights law have in both knowing about the international human rights instruments on torture and in understanding how to use such instruments effectively. The book examines the torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment of children particularly within child justice systems focusing both on the child’s perspective and the consequences for the perpetrators. It analyses the methods used by children’s rights organizations to effect change. A multi-disciplinary study of children and torture has not been undertaken before and Childhood Abused seeks to consider the application of international human rights standards to situations where children are at risk of torture and other forms of ill-treatment.