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Executive
Summary “Children’s
Rights and their Relation to the Different Types of Families” David
Calderón This
presentation addresses in the first place a reflection on human rights and
highlights their binding nature in terms of their respect and promotion,
their nature as “the law of the weakest” or solidarity guarantee, and
the importance of recognizing their indivisibility and universality. Children’s
rights are next analyzed within the context of their respective family
structures. Although rights are enforced in true living conditions, their
respect and promotion are not ensured by the mere conversion of effect
indicators. The limitations of the extended-nuclear family dichotomy is
examined are examined as relevant, as well as the role of family networks
and the great relevance of mono parental homes and father’s absence on
child development. Multiple conditions beyond family composition are
mentioned that have an impact on child development patterns in family
contexts. Finally,
the role of public policies as strategies for implementing the integral
exercise of rights is highlighted. For such purpose, mention is made of
the restrictive approaches that should be overcome for understanding
public policies as the overlapping of government plans and programs that
offer individual assistance packages. An alternative and wider definition
of public policy is proposed and four determining features are noted:
articulate, global, cross-sectional and integral. A meta-analysis exercise
is conducted in order to identify fruitful action lines and finally the
actions involved in a family and community perspective are pointed out:
recognition, support, protection and promotion. The
presentation concludes with a reiteration that public policies are the
best instrument available for a fair reallocation of social effort and,
consequently, the best instrument for the respect for and promotion of
rights.
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