Yesterday, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. This convention has, without a doubt, been the guiding light for children’s rights globally over the past 30 years. It has shaped our thinking on children’s rights and has also provided a framework where policies relating to children’s rights could be developed at a national, regional and international level.
In practical terms, the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its protocols helped improve the lives of millions of children. The recognition of their rights and the process of drafting corresponding legislation and policy continue to be spurred by this seminal convention.
We must nonetheless refrain from thinking that our work relating to children’s rights is finished. As Europe and the world continue to progress in this new millennium, new challenges materialise and, sometimes, old ones come back to haunt us.
As the demographic landscape of Europe changes, as economies expand and contract, as hard-line politicians replace moderate ones and developments in neighbouring regions take place, the challenges for our children and our societies evolve.
The vulnerable members of our societies are the most affected – the ones without power, without a voice, sometimes without a vote. Children fall in this category and anniversaries like this one remind us of the importance of continuing our work to safeguard children’s rights, because a lot of work remains to be done so that every child can truly live and thrive.
Unfortunately, many obstacles must still be superseded. I will focus on three main ones here, namely poverty, migration and disability.
Children born in poverty are likely to grow up poor and even pass it on to the next generation
One in four children in the EU are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. In some EU countries, the child poverty rate amounts to more than 40 per cent of children.
These statistics do not bode well. Not only will these children never fulfil their potential, but they will also suffer throughout their lives and they are more likely to be early school-leavers. They have increased chances of suffering from health and mental health challenges. Essentially, they are disadvantaged for a lifetime when compared to children coming from better-off families.
The early school-leaving scenario is a particularly worrying one. Studies indicate that there are strong links between early school-leaving and many aspects of well-being throughout life.
Breaking this cycle will take extraordinary effort, and the more time elapses the greater the effort needs to be as the gap between the have and the have-nots continues to grow. In the interim, the fate of these children will be sealed as children born in poverty are likely to grow up poor and even pass it on to the next generation.
This is why Eurochild, together with other stakeholders, is advocating for an EU-wide Child Guarantee to address poverty, housing, health, education and childcare.
Moreover, more than 30,000 migrant and refugee children are estimated to have gone missing in Europe between 2014-2017.
These numbers are shocking. We need to remember that behind every single one of these children there is a sad story of despair. These children are forced to leave their home and then go through a harrowing ordeal made up of long and dangerous journeys. Finally, they end up in countries that are unprepared and often unwilling to take responsibility for their protection and to ensure respect of their fundamental human rights.
There is the need for a shift in the narrative around migration, especially in the context of children in migration. The shift needs to transform the narrative to one based on rights that will guarantee children empathy, support and empowerment.
Some years ago, Unidef estimated that children with disabilities are three to four times more likely to experience neglect as well as physical and sexual violence than non-disabled children. Children with disabilities face daily barriers to living and thriving. Furthermore, they have to endure stigma and discrimination. Their struggle is oftentimes invisible.
The role of civil society is paramount, not only to hold decision makers accountable… but also because authorities and civil society need to cooperate to deploy effective action against child poverty.
Most importantly, we need to champion child participation as per article 12 of the CRC. Not only is this their right, but when children are given the opportunity and the space to participate, they truly live and thrive.
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is the president of Eurochild and former president of Malta.