children and young people report to the UN on their rights - Nova

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1 Background <strong>and</strong> framework for <strong>the</strong>projectNorway is <strong>to</strong> deliver its fourth <strong>report</strong> on compliance with <strong>the</strong> Convention on<strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child in spring 2008. The Ministry of Children <strong>and</strong>Equality wanted Norway’s <strong>report</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UN</strong>, this time as previously, <strong>to</strong>include <strong>the</strong> voices of <strong>children</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong> (see Norway’s third <strong>report</strong><strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UN</strong> of 2003 <strong>and</strong> discussion of <strong>the</strong> project ‘Life under 18’). The job ofobtaining <strong>the</strong> views of <strong>children</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong> was anchored at <strong>the</strong> locallevel in as much as <strong>the</strong> municipal sec<strong>to</strong>r is responsible for translating <strong>the</strong>Convention in<strong>to</strong> practical action. Eight municipalities were invited <strong>to</strong> takepart: <strong>the</strong> district of Alna in Oslo, Alta, Bjugn, Kau<strong>to</strong>keino, Lilles<strong>and</strong>,S<strong>and</strong>nes, Skedsmo <strong>and</strong> Trondheim. NOVA (Norwegian Social Research)was asked <strong>to</strong> act as adviser <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> municipalities <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> present <strong>the</strong> results of<strong>the</strong> latter’s surveys in a joint <strong>report</strong>.The <strong>report</strong> was <strong>to</strong> contain <strong>children</strong>’s <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong>’s views on whatit is like growing up in Norway, seen in relation <strong>to</strong> central articles of <strong>the</strong>Convention on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child. An aim was <strong>to</strong> ensure that <strong>the</strong>process should help <strong>to</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>r develop municipalities’ ability <strong>to</strong> obtain <strong>and</strong>act on <strong>children</strong>’s <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong>’s views.Implementation of <strong>children</strong>’s rights in NorwayThe decision <strong>to</strong> anchor <strong>the</strong> project at <strong>the</strong> local level reflects <strong>the</strong> municipalities’key role in realising <strong>the</strong> Convention on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child.Implementation of <strong>the</strong> majority of rights in <strong>the</strong> Convention depends ineffect on local-level initiatives <strong>and</strong> priorities. It is in <strong>the</strong> local sphere that <strong>the</strong>intentions in regard <strong>to</strong> <strong>children</strong>’s political rights <strong>and</strong> co-determination indemocratic processes meet <strong>the</strong> principle of local self-government. Children<strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong>’s concrete political rights are largely formulated through<strong>the</strong> interplay between international conventions <strong>and</strong> local-level decisions(Lidén 2004). In order <strong>to</strong> underst<strong>and</strong> how far <strong>children</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong> areaware of <strong>the</strong>ir rights <strong>and</strong> see that <strong>the</strong>y work in practice, it helps <strong>to</strong> get as closeas possible <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir everyday arenas.At least two main sources impel <strong>the</strong> implementation of <strong>children</strong> <strong>and</strong><strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong>’s rights in general <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir participation in particular. One– Children <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong> <strong>report</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>UN</strong> on <strong>the</strong>ir rights – 7
such source is Norway’s ratification <strong>and</strong> subsequent incorporation of <strong>the</strong> <strong>UN</strong>Convention on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child; work on transposing <strong>the</strong>Convention started shortly after ratification in 1991, <strong>and</strong> new initiativeswere launched once Norway incorporated <strong>the</strong> Convention in<strong>to</strong> Norwegianlaw in 2003. The o<strong>the</strong>r main source is <strong>the</strong> effort <strong>to</strong> streng<strong>the</strong>n participation<strong>and</strong> local democracy. Municipal activity in this area is wide-ranging <strong>and</strong>multifaceted (Ministry of Children <strong>and</strong> Equality 2006a, 2007). Children’s<strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong>’s right of participation is enshrined in several statutes. Anumber of bodies have been established <strong>to</strong> safeguard <strong>children</strong>’s <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong><strong>people</strong>’s participation <strong>and</strong> influence at <strong>the</strong> local level. For example, three ou<strong>to</strong>f four municipalities have youth councils (Lidén 2003, Vestel et al. 2003,Ministry of Children <strong>and</strong> Equality 2006b).The Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (2005) points out that <strong>the</strong>Convention on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child is formulated in such a way thatknowing when its provisions are met is no simple matter. While this poseschallenges <strong>to</strong> municipalities, it also gives <strong>the</strong>m ample leeway <strong>to</strong> decide for<strong>the</strong>mselves how <strong>the</strong> obligations of <strong>the</strong> Convention are <strong>to</strong> be fulfilled.Organisation of <strong>the</strong> workSince <strong>the</strong> participating municipalities have approached <strong>the</strong> question of<strong>children</strong>’s <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong>’s participation in various ways, <strong>the</strong>y were givenmuch freedom <strong>to</strong> shape <strong>the</strong> project as <strong>the</strong>y considered appropriate. TheMinistry of Children <strong>and</strong> Equality wanted <strong>the</strong> project <strong>to</strong> include specific core<strong>the</strong>mes <strong>and</strong> target groups, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> comments of <strong>the</strong> United NationsCommittee on <strong>the</strong> Rights of <strong>the</strong> Child <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Norwegian Children <strong>and</strong>Youth Council on Norway’s previous <strong>report</strong> were also drawn on in shaping<strong>the</strong> project (Ministry of Children <strong>and</strong> Equality 2005, Norwegian Children<strong>and</strong> Youth Council 2004).In spring 2007 three meetings were held between <strong>the</strong> Ministry ofChildren <strong>and</strong> Equality, <strong>the</strong> participating municipalities <strong>and</strong> NOVA. Inaddition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>se joint meetings, NOVA provided <strong>the</strong> municipalities withindividual guidance as <strong>and</strong> when required. The municipalities brought <strong>the</strong>input from <strong>the</strong> joint meetings back <strong>to</strong> <strong>children</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>young</strong> <strong>people</strong> <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rpartners at <strong>the</strong> local level where <strong>the</strong> work was carried out. In o<strong>the</strong>r words <strong>the</strong>dialogue within <strong>the</strong> municipalities <strong>and</strong> between <strong>the</strong> various ac<strong>to</strong>rs continuedbetween <strong>the</strong> meetings.8– NOVA Report 2b/08 –
Page 1 and 2: Children and <stro
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Page 49 and 50: cent, while more than 90 per cent i
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eported the same.
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teachers. Several municipalities we
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without doubt be improved. The surv
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