ABSTRACT
This chapter opens The Routledge International Handbook of Young Children’s Rights, marking the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The chapter foregrounds the book’s aim: to review critically what has been achieved since its adoption to realise the rights of children younger than 8 years, the current state of their rights, and what remains to be done to secure their rights, by drawing on empirical research evidence and expertise from across the world. This chapter notes the emergence since 1989 of significant evidence establishing the importance of early childhood development for lifetime outcomes and how that evidence has informed unprecedented investment in early childhood. The chapter addresses the growing realisation that rights for children younger than 8 years may have special characteristics and may require interpretations different from those afforded to older children. The authors note, however, that the rights of many young children continue to be disregarded, marking failure to recognise young children as competent actors, and denying them the stimulating, safe environments they need to develop optimally to actualise their potential. This initial chapter concludes by signposting the reader to the handbook’s sections and chapters.
