Yücesoy: The Convention on the Rights of the Child is among the binding hard law sources of international law 

EUL Academic Yücesoy Made Remarks on the Occasion of November 20th World Children’s Rights Day

Assist. Prof. Dr. Uluğ İlve Yücesoy, a faculty member at the Faculty of Law at the European University of Lefke (EUL), shared significant remarks in honor of November 20th World Children’s Rights Day.

“Today, November 20, 2024, marks the 35th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects, guarantees, and strengthens the rights of children, the hope, future, and joy of our world. As we celebrate World Children’s Rights Day, six years away from 2030, the target year for the completion of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, it is essential to highlight not only children’s rights but also their direct connection with the Sustainable Development Goals,” Yücesoy stated. He emphasized that children, while often seen as symbols of hope and joy, are also the future of the world. Therefore, children’s rights can only be sustainable in a world where the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goals such as “Ending Extreme Poverty,” “Combating Inequality and Injustice,” and “Addressing Climate Change,” are successfully achieved.

Yücesoy explained that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed by the United Nations General Assembly on November 20, 1989, is the first and only international convention to be signed in such a short time globally. Through this convention, signatory states are obligated to amend and harmonize their domestic laws in accordance with its provisions. The convention is recognized as a binding “hard law” source of international law and has not only influenced national laws but also reshaped international law. It has led to the signing of many specialized international agreements concerning children and has served as a reference for international court rulings. The convention marks the beginning of a new era in Child Law.

The first article of the convention, defining every human being under the age of 18 as a child, has not only prompted the redefinition of “child” in national laws but has also brought about significant changes in the jurisprudence of international judicial bodies, such as the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Furthermore, the convention’s core principles, such as “Non-Discrimination” (Article 2), “Best Interests of the Child” (Article 3), “Right to Life and Development” (Article 6), and “Right to Participation” (Article 12), are fundamental to strengthening and solidifying children’s rights. The convention acknowledges that rights such as the right to life, freedom and security, non-discrimination, equality, participation, freedom of expression, education, and respect for private life are as applicable to children as they are to adults.

In conclusion, Yücesoy remarked: “It should be remembered that by embracing the future and ensuring the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, children’s rights can take root in a green, just, equitable, democratic, and participatory world where poverty is reduced. With six years remaining until 2030, the time has come to take stronger steps toward a roadmap where democracy meets children, children’s rights to participation and development are strengthened, the best interests of the child are ensured in every field, and child-friendly policies are established collaboratively by public institutions, the private sector, civil society, and children themselves. Children are the future!”