The issue of human rights of children is regulated by the Convention on the Rights of the Child with its Protocols. They refer to the protection of a child, prohibition of child labor and other issues that are fundamentally important and protect children’s dignity. However, some categories of children require special attention and care with this respect. The human rights of orphans and abandoned children constitute a specific issue, as they have fewer chances to be protected by parents and relatives. Therefore, as a violation of their rights may seem easier, these children need more legal protection.
The importance of the problem is getting clearer, when described in numbers. UNICEF reports that “there are between 143-210 million orphans worldwide” (“Rights of Orphans,” n.d.). If there were a country of orphans, it would be in the top 10 of the most populated countries in the world. It is striking that such huge amount of people is deprived of basic rights and freedoms, normally granted for everybody, in the 21st century. Moreover, this huge number contains only 13 million of those who lost both parents. 95% of orphans are over the age of 5 and have one surviving relative. Around 250,000 children are adopted on an annual basis, but 14 million live in orphanages till they become 16. 60% of girls become prostitutes, while 70% of boys are convicted of crime activities (“Orphans,” n.d.). In 2009, The United Nations General Assembly welcomed the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children (“Human Rights for Orphans Recognized Worldwide,” 2009). This document ensured that children would receive specific attention and required care, if they need. The Guidelines provided a missing framework of standards for the alternative care for children and bounded all members of the UN to adhere to these rules. Such actions made the issue of human rights of orphans and abandoned children recognized worldwide and encouraged the emergence of the new approaches to this problem across the globe.
There are a few areas where the violation of the rights of orphans is the most striking. Orphans who live in orphanages are usually deprived of basic rights such as movement, property, law, social security and even dignity. They are often treated not as equals to other children, as they are living in an orphanage. Law protects orphans and abandoned children, but they still may not have what families should provide their children with. Moreover, children are deprived of their rights to move, as orphans may be removed from their country for finding better care. This is the violation as everybody has a right to express and possess nationality, as he or she wishes. In the majority of cases, property, that orphans and abandoned children have, belong to orphanages or some organizations, so they have little chance of having their own things. They are often restricted on what they may have as their belongings. The main violation appears when it comes to Social Security. Due to some stereotypes, lack of support and funds, orphans often struggle to attend universities, have good jobs and experience. Because of this, they are deprived of the main human right of building a good life for themselves and their own families (“Rights of Orphans,” n.d.).
References
Human Rights for Orphans Recognized Worldwide. (2009). SOS Children’s Villages USA. Retrieved from http://www.sos-usa.org/newsroom/human-rights-for-orphans-recognized-worldwide
Orphans. (n.d.). UNICEF. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/media/media_45279.html
Rights of Orphans. (n.d.). International Baccalaureate. Retrieved from http://www.projectpage.info/rightsoforphans
