A Comparative-Historical Analysis of Children's Rights

Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH

Investigators

Abstract

The present study asks if children who live in more ethnically and religiously diverse countries have fewer rights, and whether national independent children's rights institutions developed to promote children's rights actually improve children's rights. It has already been established that a country's internal conditions (such as the strength of its democracy) and conditions external to the country (including pressures from international nongovernmental organizations) can promote or hinder human rights. Do these internal and external pressures have similar effects on children's rights? This study seeks to advance knowledge on human rights in general and on children's rights in particular through the introduction of the Children's Rights Index, an international measure of children's rights for over 160 countries for 2004. It will replicate the Children's Rights Index over five-year intervals for the period 1984 to 2009. This study will compare impacts of independent children's rights institutions and ethnic diversity and religious diversity on changes in children's rights. These analyses will contribute to research on whether internal or external factors are more important to promoting children's rights. The database containing the Childrens Rights Indices and explanatory factors will permit researchers to examine whether stronger rights are associated with superior outcomes for children. The Children's Rights Indices can be used by national governments and international nongovernmental organizations, such as Save the Children. This study will also host an interactive website with maps containing country-specific information on children's rights.