Why would anyone, anywhere, question the importance of protective rights for children? Why would anyone, anywhere, question the profound effect children’s rights have on community well-being? In this column, Dr Keenan describes the history and current status of children’s rights and challenges us to advocate for fuller implementation of those rights based on wellestablished principles that are ...

Despite clear legal promulgations by section 27 of the Constitution and Children’s Act 38 2005, best interests children are generally undermined or ignored. The lack respect for rights is difficult to quantify; extent which “children seen heard” under-reported. Culture, religion, patriarchy socioeconomic condition among factors that exacerbate blatant disregard conditions children’s rights. Hea...

To provide refugee children and youth with opportunities to build a prosperous future in Canada, there must be adequate mental health supports made available this vulnerable population. This paper will demonstrate how Canada has aspired uphold the rights of accordance United Nations Convention on Rights Child (UNCRC) as well heightened commitment that is required evoke an improved realization t...

In 1989 the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was ratified by all but two of its members, the United States of America and Somalia. The CRC has been hailed as a victory for the children’s rights movement and according to The International Save the Children Alliance (1999: 5) “over the past ten years it has helped to establish an internationally accepted framework for th...

Mental health professionals, like other professionals involved in family matters, feel constrained when advocating for the interests of children by the belief that parents are entitled to custody and control of their children's lives, regardless of what others may think of their parenting behavior, absent severe harm to the children. This belief is morally untenable, and the legal doctrine of p...