Reflections on Adherence to Child Rights in the Caribbean

摘要

The year 2014 marked the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The convention, which has been ratified by most countries, legally binds states to protect, provide for and facilitate the participation of all children in matters that affect them. The CRC is composed of 54 articles which can be further divided into five categories: (1) general rights which include the right to life, information and privacy; (2) rights requiring protective measures-these include the right to protection from social and economic exploitation; (3) rights concerning the civil status of children-these encompass the preservation of one's identify and the ability to remain with or be reunited with one's family; (4) rights concerning development and welfare-these include the rights to a reasonable standard of living and access to basic social services and (5) rights concerning children in special circumstances (Barrow 2002, xiv).