ABSTRACT
At first glance, children’s rights appear to be one of the most successful twentieth-century international projects. General agreement on promoting the child’s best interests and well-being, whilst specifically implementing his right to education and participation,1 seems to have emerged within the international community. The translation of the human rights of children into international hard law and the near universal ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989, hereafter the UNCRC)2 can be viewed as the culmination of this process. However, the standing of children’s rights varies considerably across nations and regions, suggesting significant diversity in the interpretation and monitoring of the UNCRC as well as of the broader concept of children’s rights.
