Children’s Rights in Crisis

Salvador Santino F. Regilme Jr. is tenured Associate Professor of International Relations at the History and International Studies Section, Institute for History at Leiden University.

How robust are children's rights in a highly interdependent world? How have these cherished rights fared in the face of adversity, and what has driven these pressing challenges? This book explores the intricacies of contemporary children's rights on a global scale, scrutinizing the challenges they face from a multidisciplinary perspective.In 1989, the United Nations General Assembly unveiled the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) - a pivotal moment that raised expectations of an era where children's rights would hold sway. The ideals of human rights and the sanctity of children's dignity resound in policy documents, but on the ground, a complex range of challenges unfolds. The interplay of global governance structures, national strategies, and local factors creates a landscape where children's rights often teeter on the precipice. Considering more than three decades since the CRC's inception, this book explores a wide range of contemporary crises, raising questions about the efficacy of international commitments in children's rights. Unlike conventional human rights scholarship, the volume spotlights often-neglected crises, unveiling the blind spots in scholarly and policy dialogues. It champions a global perspective, recognizing the profound influence of global and transnational forces. Using evidence-based research and emphasizing the influence of politics, social dynamics, and geographical diversity on children's rights and dignity, Children's rights in crisis offers valuable insights for academic and non-academic readers, including policy practitioners, diplomats, journalists, and civil society activists.