www.crin.org/discrimination

Introduction

Did you know that, in Madagascar, the murder or rejection of children thought to be “born on an unlucky day” continues in some places? Or that in some countries, children can be detained for acts which are not treated as offences when committed by adults? While these are some of the more extreme and overt examples of discriminatory treatment faced by children, subtle day-to-day prejudice is much more pervasive.

Discrimination is a major reason why children's rights remain unfulfilled. That is why CRIN has launched a new toolkit with information and advocacy ideas to promote children's right to non-discrimination.

The web-based toolkit explores how discrimination affects the full range of children’s rights, with a particular focus on age-based discrimination.

The goals of the site are to:

• promote understanding of how discrimination affects all children's rights
• shed light on age discrimination against children 
• support the removal of barriers to all children's inclusion

Visit the website here: http://www.crin.org/discrimination

This is an ongoing project. Please email comments, suggestions or contributions to info@crin.org.

What is discrimination?

Discrimination involves treating an individual or a group of people unfairly in comparison to others because of who they are, or because of their circumstances.

Children's right to non-discrimination is one of the four over-arching principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This means that all children should enjoy all rights set out in the CRC. For any right to be realised, children must not be discriminated against.

The UN Human Rights Committee defines discrimination as:

“any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference which is based on any ground such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status and which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by all persons, on an equal footing, of all rights and freedoms.” Read more about definitions here.

Discrimination may stem from deliberate, direct action, or it may be unintended.

Although there has been significant work on this topic, the wide range of ways in which children experience different forms of discrimination have not been sufficiently explored or challenged.

Can you believe this? A snapshot of discrimination against children

• Most countries' laws do not protect children from violence in the same way they protect adults. Only 24 countries in the world have banned corporal punishment against children in all settings. 
• An estimated 60 per cent of children with an intellectual impairment experience sexual abuse. (Read more)
  
• In Iran, the criminal age of responsibility is 14 years and seven months for boys and eight years and nine months for girls (Read more)
  
• Governments across Europe have discriminated against Roma children. For example, the European Court of Human Rights recently ruled against the Czech Republic for wrongly channelling Roma children into schools for children with learning disabilities.
• In some parts of Benin and the Central African Republic, children who are born buttocks-first may face discrimination.
• In the UK, children are deterred from being in public spaces where adults are allowed to associate freely.

Why a toolkit on non-discrimination?

Looking at rights violations through the lens of discrimination helps to expose prejudices and beliefs that may have led to unfair treatment – whether such treatment was intentional or otherwise. It can create new means of challenging negative actions, whether through law, policy, education or practice.

So, for example, by understanding that the corporal punishment of children, if legal within a given State, constitutes discrimination on the basis of age (an adult smacking another adult can be prosecuted for battery), it helps us to think about the issue in a different way.

What is it about children that makes us think it is acceptable to hit them, but not adults – or even animals! Are there other ways in which this discriminatory view of children affects how we behave towards them? Why is discrimination towards other groups of people, for example ethnic minorities, normally considered unacceptable, yet sanctioned by the State when it comes to children?

Visit: http://www.crin.org/Discrimination/About/index.asp

More information

• Special edition of CRINMAIL on non-discrimination
• Guide to non-discrimination and the CRC
  
• Global report on laws protecting children from age discrimination
• Global report on status offences

Previous News release items

• 01/10/2009: 20th Anniversary Celebration of the CRC
• 01/10/2009: FRANCIA: El Defensor del Menor en riesgo de ser cerrado
• 30/09/2009: GLOBAL: New human rights complaints procedure soon available
• 30/09/2009: RUSSIA: Minors curfew bill passes first reading in Khabarovsk Krai
• 30/09/2009: RD CONGO: Qui sauvera les enfants 'sorciers' jetés dans les rues?

Organisation Contact Details:

Child Rights International Network
East Studio
2 Pontypool Place
London
SE1 8QF
Tel: +44 (0)207 401 2257
Email: info@crin.org
Website: www.crin.org

Last updated 26/10/2009 05:43:01

Please note that these reports are hosted by CRIN as a resource for Child Rights campaigners, researchers and other interested parties. Unless otherwise stated, they are not the work of CRIN and their inclusion in our database does not necessarily signify endorsement or agreement with their content by CRIN.