Creative Child Advocacy: Global Perspectives

Children comprise a considerable part of the world’s population, and there are numerous concerned individuals, states and voluntary groups striving to better their conditions in the spirit of international instruments like the UN convention on the rights of the child. At the same time, all those working on behalf of children recognize the continuing need for advocacy for children since they remain a vulnerable and under-represented group lacking the power to make their voices heard. This volume is a collection of original essays written by prominent child advocates, law teachers, social workers, activists and professionals from across the globe. The focus is not simply to describe challenging situations or the unmet needs of children in specific countries, but also to offer examples of positive solutions and successful initiatives on behalf of children and youth. The projects described in the book are drawn from Asia (India, Pakistan and China), Europe (England and Poland), North America (the USA), the Middle East (Israel) and Africa (Kenya). The contributors address a wide range of issues affecting children and youth, including: Child labour; International child custody abduction; Juvenile delinquency; School suspensions and expulsions; Child abuse and neglect; Teen dating violence. The contributors propose important and innovative approaches to these concerns, ranging from creating a child advocacy centre within a private law firm and litigation strategies to developing a handbook that explains the court process to children who may have been abused or neglected.