This chapter reflects on the aim of the International Children’s Rights volume to provide those wishing to study, research, and practice international children’s rights law with a contemporary and... Show moreThis chapter reflects on the aim of the International Children’s Rights volume to provide those wishing to study, research, and practice international children’s rights law with a contemporary and comprehensive legal text. It recaps on the themes that emerged from the process of commissioning and editing the various contributions from some of the world’s leading and emerging legal scholars in the area of children’s rights. It marks the progress that has been made in the implementation of children’s rights law and the many challenges that still exist in the implementation of the CRC and associated international instruments. It notes that legal scholarship in the field of children’s rights is still developing and that, although multidisciplinary research and analysis is valuable, it is important to reaffirm children’s rights as a field of law and legal practice. International children’s rights is a complex, dynamic, and relatively young area of law. As the contributions to the collection show, it is diverse and evolving, with many new aspects and issues worthy of analysis and scrutiny. This chapter encapsulates the aspiration of the volume editors that the book contribute to the scrutiny of the legal implications of the CRC, recognizing the unique features of international children’s rights law, adding to the ongoing development of this important area of law. Show less
This chapter examines the concept of child-friendly justice by means of an analysis of the drafting, content and implementation of the Guidelines on Child-Friendly Justice. It draws attention to... Show moreThis chapter examines the concept of child-friendly justice by means of an analysis of the drafting, content and implementation of the Guidelines on Child-Friendly Justice. It draws attention to the important concept of child-friendly justice, which embraces the children's rights in the juvenile justice system. The chapter traces history of child-friendly justice, explains the Guidelines adopted in 2010, and examines the implementation of the Guidelines with reference to EU studies that have sought to evaluate the extent to which child-friendly justice is observed in practice. It assesses critically the future direction of children's rights within juvenile justice and identifies some of the challenges that lie ahead. A number of key themes emerged from the analysis of the consultation with children and young people including a strong emphasis on the importance of family, a general mistrust of authority and a consistently expressed desire to be heard. Show less
