Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/children-have-the-right-to-have-rights/5017508/
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has forged a fundamental shift of paradigm in program and public policy design. Whereas in most countries the needs-based approach has historically guided services and policies for children, the CRC sets out a new perspective based on the human rights of all children.Charity is often the motivation behind services and policies tailored to meet specific needs of children. Despite their well-intended efforts, such initiatives usually lack the means to tackle the underlying causes of problems relating to child survival and development. When children and families are seen as mere objects of public policies or beneficiaries of charitable services, they tend to become disempowered and submissive to their benefactor �" be it the government, multilateral organizations, or private institutions.
Increasingly, however, the active participation of children and families has been proven to be a key success factor in program and policy design, implementation, and evaluation.1 Furthermore, it allows children and families to become subjects of their own lives and aware of their rights-holders condition. Thus, they no longer expect favors. On the contrary, they are empowered to demand their rights. In practice, this means placing responsibilities and holding people ...