Children’s Rights: From Philosophy to Public Policy

Product Description
Despite the existence of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child there still exists a debate on whether children can really hold rights. This book presents a clear theory of children's rights by examining controversial case studies. The author presents a pathway to translating rights into practical social and political instruments for change.
Review
"This is an accessible and erudite engagement with controversial and highly important human rights issues. The book makes a significant and original contribution to a long-neglected area of study in the otherwise voluminous literature around human rights." Katharine Gelber, Professor of Political Science and International Studies and ARC Future Fellow, University of Queensland, Australia
"Guided by the innovative use of the concepts of capacity and competence, [this book] offers a refreshingly original look at children's rights. Written in clear and direct language, empirically well informed, and with a sophisticated grasp of the philosophical issues at stake, it re-invigorates the debate on what such rights demand of us, especially in several difficult and contentious areas of public policy." David Archard, Professor of Philosophy, Queen's University, Belfast, UK
"The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most ratified treaty in the world, yet observed more in the breach than enactment. Cowden tackles this head authoritatively on by responding to the gap between our aspirations regarding the fulfillment of child rights, and the barriers to adequate policy implementation. [This book] is a welcome resource for anyone who has an interest in how we make the fundamental rights of children a reality." - Norman Gillespie, CEO of UNICEF Australia
About the Author
Mhairi Cowden is a Policy Officer within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet for the Government of Western Australia.