Children's rights in post-Soviet countries: The case of Russia and Belarus. (September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schmidt, Victoria; Shchurko, Tatsiana
• Other Names: Iarskaia-Smirnova Elena guest-editor.; Lyons Karen guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: International social work. Volume 57:Number 5(2014:Sep.)
• Page Start: 447
• Page End: 458
• Publication Date: 2014-09
• Subjects: Child protection -- children's rights -- post-Soviet countries -- UNCRC; Social service -- Periodicals; Social problems -- Periodicals; Globalization -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Community development -- Periodicals; 361
• DOI: 10.1177/0020872814537852
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-8728

Abstract

The article constructs children's rights as a social institution relevant to the multifunctional nature of the contemporary child. In line with the interpretivist approach, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is viewed as a soft law, which requires the pluralization of practices towards international regulations. The juxtaposition of two key approaches to the UNCRC, the double status of the child and the dilemma of public versus private, frames the investigation of the current issues in Russia and Belarus through the discourses operating around children's rights. The comparison highlights the common shortcomings and the peculiarities, clarifying the possible strategies for refining the implementation of children's rights in post-Soviet countries.