International rights of the child

LWM35

This course offers a critical examination of children’s rights in an international context, focusing around the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989. It also includes a detailed examination of the theory of children’s rights and provides analysis of how they are transposed into law and legal practice.

This course highlights some of the current problems in policies and practices relating to children, searches for a coherent theoretical basis in this area, and applies it to a range of children’s issues.

The aim is for you to develop a more child-centred understanding of children’s rights and child law, and be able to use that understanding and knowledge to engage critically with policies and practices which impact on children’s lives.

Study as an individual course

Books — This course begins by introducing you to the theoretical basis of children's rights.

Module A: Theoretical issues and children’s rights mechanisms

LWM35A

An introduction to children’s rights and constructions of ‘the child’
The theoretical basis of children’s rights
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989
Regional children’s rights mechanisms
Children’s rights in English domestic law

Module B: The core principles of children's rights mechanisms

LWM35B

The best interests principle
The right to life, survival and development
Children’s participation rights (1) – general principles
Children’s participation rights (2) – case studies
Non-discrimination

Module C: Specific issues in children’s rights (1)

LWM35C

The child, the family, and identity
Children and the labour market
The right to education
Children and religion

Module D: Specific issues in children’s rights (2)

LWM35D

Juvenile justice
Exploitation, sale of children and child pornography
Street children
Refugee and asylum-seeking children
Children and armed conflict

Assessment

Each module will be assessed by a 45-minute unseen written examination.

Sequence

It is strongly recommended you attempt the modules in order.

How to apply

You can apply to study a module individually as a standalone unit or as part of a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Master of Laws qualification. (In either scenario, they must be studied in order.)

These modules also contribute towards the following specialist pathways for Laws:

Family Law
Human Rights Law
International Dispute Resolution
Law and Development
Public International Law

Apply via Postgraduate Laws.

Dr Rob George

Dr Rob George is Reader in Family Law at University College London and a Barrister at Harcourt Chambers in London. His research specialises in international children matters, including child relocation and child abduction, and he teaches family law and children’s rights at undergraduate and Masters level.

He is co-author of the leading textbook Family Law: Text, Cases and Materials and author of a number of specialist texts including Relocation Disputes: Law and Practice in England and New Zealand.