Thorgeirsdottir Herdís Protection of Economic and Social Rights of Children in Times of Financial Crisis: the Challenges

Abstract: The article is devoted to the protection of economic and social rights of children in times of financial crisis: issues and challenges in this sphere. The author underlines that proper international law mechanisms have already created among which is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention makes clear that children are autonomous rights-holders which states have the duty to vindicate and protect. Article 4 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that Governments have a responsibility to take all available measures to make sure children’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. Also the European Social Charter has significance importance. It complements the European Convention on Human Rights in the field of economic and social rights and guarantees a wide range of rights relating to housing, health, education, employment, social protection, movement of persons and non-discrimination. The author points out that the recognition of children‘s rights has also permeated through national legal systems at various levels. The author emphasizes that the main threat to the protection of the children’s rights is the deepest economic crisis since the Second World War. Governments are introducing austerity measures that scale back welfare support for families, cut funding for basic public services, and withdraw support from the voluntary sector. The author underlines the danger of the growing inequality, illegal exploitation of children, lack of appropriate welfare, human traffic and insufficient efforts of state and business structures. In this regard there is a need to more serious involvement of the international organizations including the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Council of Europe Commissioner of Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation in the protection of economic and social rights of children.

Keywords: