This thesis examined the extent to which South Africa has domesticated the international provisions protecting foreign migrant children. The thesis further investigated procedural gaps and makes recommendations in respect of law and procedure to ensure the adequate protection of the rights of undocumented foreign migrant children in South Africa.

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of selected characteristics on the outcomes of those special education due process hearings brought forth in the state of Texas from September 1, 1983, to September 1, 1992. A further purpose was to determine if district characteristics of size or location affect the likelihood of a district's becoming involved in a special education due process hearing. Data for the study was collected for all special education due process hearings conducted in the State of Texas from September 1, 1983, to September 1, 1992. A coding system was used to record the data for the study and the Chi-square test of independence was used to determine whether a relationship existed between the selected variable (hearing issue, disability classifications and restrictiveness of placement) and hearing outcome. The frequency of involvement in hearings for districts of various size and urban characteristics was displayed as a percentage.

The purpose of this study was to examine the advocacy techniques employed by three state-level child advocacy groups in a mid-western state and to determine the effectiveness of such techniques in influencing policy and legislation.The groups studied were a government-funded bureau, a professional association, and a varied member organization. Each was selected because it met the qualifications set forth for that particular group type. Data collection took place during June and July, 1981.The records examined during data collection included minutes of meetings, publications, fiscal reports, legislative reports and bills, by-laws, and newspaper articles. The data discerned from the records described the groups' founding, objectives, structure, membership, finances, and advocacy strategies, particularly public information campaigns, training, and lobbying efforts. Interviews were conducted with persons knowledgeable of the groups' activities, as necessary.Data were organized into the categories of background information, objectives, membership, structure, funding, and advocacy efforts. Issues considered by any of the three groups were classified either as legislation or as a child-oriented issue. Advocacy techniques utilized to advance a group's position on a piece of legislation were paired with the bill. The effectiveness of the techniques was determined via a scale which examined a bill's progression through the legislative process. Patterns of effective advocacy were listed. Similarly, advocacy techniques employed to advance a group's position on child-oriented issues were paired with the issues. Patterns of advocacy were discerned from that information.As a result of the data analysis, the following conclusions were made; (a) a variety of techniques were used by the groups and contributed to effective advocacy; (b) the techniques of writing to and meeting with legislators or their staffs on behalf of a group were utilized most commonly in successful efforts related to legislation; (c) collaboration and multiple efforts were related to effective advocacy; (d) the professional association was most successful in its legislative advocacy efforts; and (e) the three groups took more positions and utilized more advocacy techniques on child-oriented issues than on legislation.

No description available.

Street children in Central America are largely denied protection of their human rights. They live in difficult situations of poverty, inappropriate work and neglect, and thus are not able to enjoy most of their rights and basic needs. / The international framework for children's human rights law, composed primarily of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the principles inherent to it, can be described as based on a doctrine of integral protection, a notion developed primarily by Central American legal scholars. At the same time, however, most Central American states ignore their obligations to conform their domestic legislation to these standards. / This thesis is meant to provide Central American countries with guidelines captured by a model referred to as UPPP2. Its main objective is for States to acknowledge that the plight of street children needs to be understood; prevented by adequate domestic legislation; and requires protection by effective implementation and provision of justice.

Child participation and the right of children to be heard in matters that directly affect them, including in judicial and administrative matters, is a right that is entrenched in a number of international and regional instruments. This right is also entrenched in the South African Constitution that provides for children to be legally represented, at State expense, in civil proceedings affecting them and this includes divorce proceedings. However, this constitutional right is limited to those circumstances where a substantial injustice would otherwise result should such legal representation not be afforded. This thesis examined how the voices of children can be heard during divorce proceedings and makes recommendations as to when children involved in divorce proceedings should be granted legal representation at State expense.

No abstract available.

Child participation and the right of children to be heard in matters that directly affect them, including in judicial and administrative matters, is a right that is entrenched in a number of international and regional instruments. This right is also entrenched in the South African Constitution that provides for children to be legally represented, at State expense, in civil proceedings affecting them and this includes divorce proceedings. However, this constitutional right is limited to those circumstances where a substantial injustice would otherwise result should such legal representation not be afforded. This thesis examined how the voices of children can be heard during divorce proceedings and makes recommendations as to when children involved in divorce proceedings should be granted legal representation at State expense.