Refugee children often experience social exclusion upon arrival in their new host countries. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) obligates States to ensure the social inclusion of all children, including refuges. While all but two countries have ratified the CRC, few have fully implemented it. In this thesis, I tested the hypothesis that the social inclusion of refugee children will be greater in a country that has more fully implemented the CRC (Sweden) than in a country where implementation is weaker (Canada). The results of a policy analysis supported the hypothesis. The findings of this study will contribute to the development of methods to measure the implementation of the CRC, as well as to our understanding of the relationships among human rights, domestic policy and children’s well-being.

Section 28(2) of the South African Constitution determines that every child has the right to have their best interests considered of paramount importance in all matters concerning them. Section 9 further provides that every person is considered equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. Several grounds are listed relating to the unfair discrimination of persons, including their sexual orientation. The concept of care is incorporated in the Children's Act, and it entails a comprehensive description of parents' daily life regarding their children and the powers and duties expected to ensure the general protection, well–being and best interests of the child. The study aims to research the legal position when the sexual orientation of a parent is a considering factor in the granting of care, and the extent of which courts can give consideration to that factor. I commence by examining relevant national legislation relating to the concept of care and the best interests of the child standard in the Children's Act to establish how the sexual orientation of a parent is interpreted by courts in the granting of care. I then proceed to examine relevant international and regional documents to determine the relevant rights relating to the interests of children in the granting of care to a parent in divorce proceedings. I then proceed to analyse landmark cases to establish ways in which the approach of the courts regarding homosexuality have changed since the beginning of the new political dispensation in 1994. Finally a conclusion will be reached on the nature and scope of the consideration of a parent's sexual orientation in the granting of care in the South African context. / Thesis (LL.M. (Comparative Child Law))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

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Magister Legum - LLM / South Africa

Doctor Legum - LLD / In Africa generally, orphaned and vulnerable children are traditionally cared for by their relatives or close family friends; this is an abiding practice even in contemporary times. This was historically considered to be a moral obligation binding on different relatives in different ways or at differing levels. In the face of the increasing complexities and changing demographics in African societies, high levels of poverty and socioeconomic inequalities as well as the incidence of HIV and AIDS, among others, the traditional family continues to undergo structural changes and experience various challenges which make child rearing responsibilities difficult to cope with especially in the context of loss of parental care. Nonetheless, the extended family system still bears the greatest burden in caring for such children, despite the obligation of governments to provide alternative care for children without parental care. The care of children who have become deprived of parental care by other relatives/family members or family friends is generally described as kinship care. This study seeks to examine kinship care against the background of international children’s rights law as encapsulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United Nations Guidelines on the Alternative Care of Children and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, among others. Thus, this research seeks answers to a number of related research questions such as: Does the international children’s rights framework recognise or provide for kinship care as a measure of alternative care for children deprived of a family environment? What is the history and practice of kinship care in Africa and what are the challenges confronting kinship care in contemporary African societies? What is the relationship between kinship care and the child protection system? And what forms of support are available for kinship care at both the international and national levels? Four main themes are considered in separate chapters of the thesis as follows: the contextual and historical background to kinship care in Africa; the international and regional legal framework on the right to alternative care; the conceptualisation of kinship care as alternative care; and the law and practice of kinship care in selected domestic jurisdictions. South Africa and Namibia are the main focus of this study in the chapter on the status of kinship care at the domestic level. This is mainly because both countries have made some progress in the attempts at (legally) providing for kinship care and addressing some of its attendant challenges, with a particular emphasis on the provision of support for kinship care.

The international dilemma of child soldiers is a humanitarian concern throughout the world. The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers (CSUCS) began in 1998 and is currently the leading collaborative movement to address the issue. However, because of its emphasis on a universal 'Straight 18' approach and support of the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the Rights of a Child (CRC), the CSUCS ignores contextual realities that affect the implementation ofthe international legislation and the development of norms concerning child soldiers. This research project will examine the current international nongovernmental organization (INGO) response to child soldiers- focusing on the CSCUS - and formulate suggestions for potential avenues to further INGO involvement with policies and projects. The argument is based on a neoliberal institutionalist platform that argues in favour ofiNGOs' ability to successfully influence actions taken by state actors to address human right issues. Highlighting the successful INGO influence on states during the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, I will present this example as a potential model for the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, and explore the feasibility of this model whilst making suggestions for more effective involvement of INGOs with regard to the issue of child soldiers.

SAMMANFATTNING Nyckelord: barnröntgen, patientinformation, röntgensjuksköterska, barnkonventionen Bakgrund: För röntgensjuksköterskor är det utmanande att informera barnpatienter utifrån barnkonventionens riktlinjer, som är svensk lag sedan 2020.  Syfte: Syftet med denna enkätstudie var att ta reda på vilken patientinformation som röntgensjuksköterskan ansåg var viktig att ge till barnpatienter i samband med konventionell skelettröntgenundersökning samt vilka förutsättningar som var viktiga för att kunna tilldela den informationen. Ett ytterligare syfte var att ta reda på om röntgensjuksköterskan hade kännedom om barnkonventionen och dess betydelse i samband med barnröntgenundersökning samt om det fanns någon skillnad mellan röntgensjuksköterskor verksamma på sjukhus A och sjukhus B gällande deras uppfattning om information till barnpatienter.  Metod: En empirisk kvantitativ enkätstudie genomfördes. Urvalet bestod av röntgensjuksköterskor med erfarenhet att utföra konventionella skelettundersökningar på barn. Totalt 35 enkäter analyserades.  Resultat: Som viktigaste information valdes allmän strålsäkerhet och varför barnet ska ligga/sitta stilla. De viktigaste förutsättningarna för att ge information ansågs vara förberedda föräldrar, förberett röntgenlabb samt att vända sig till barnet vid samtal. Majoriteten svarade att röntgenmottagningarna inte erbjöd en barnanpassad miljö och instämde delvis till att kommunikationen skulle underlättas på ett barnanpassat labb. Röntgensjuksköterskorna instämmer till stor del att de har kännedom om barnkonventionens riktlinjer och att dessa har stor betydelse vid barnröntgenundersökningar. Ingen signifikant skillnad visades mellan sjukhusen. Slutsats: Respondenterna från sjukhusen enades om att viktigast att informera om var strålsäkerhet och vikten av att vara still. Röntgenmottagningarna ansågs inte ha en barnanpassad miljö. Röntgensjuksköterskornas kännedom om barnkonventionen behöver ständigt aktualiseras och diskuteras i vårdsammanhang. / ABSTRACT Key words: pediatric radiography, access to information, radiographer, Convention on the Rights of the Child Background: It is challenging for radiographers to inform pediatric patients based on the guidelines of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Swedish law since 2020.  Purpose: The purpose was to find out what radiographers from two hospitals considered to be important information and conditions for providing it to pediatric patients undergoing x-ray examinations. The aim was also to investigate whether the radiographers carry knowledge of the CRC and its significance regarding child radiographs as well as to compare the perception of radiographers from hospital A and B on what information is of importance. Method: An empirical quantitative survey study was made.The sample included radiographers experienced in performing x-ray examinations of children. In total 35 surveys were analyzed.  Results: Information about general radiation safety and why the patient should keep still was considered most important.  The main conditions for providing information were considered to be a prepared lab, prepared parents and paying attention to the child. The majority replied that radiology clinics did not offer a child-friendly environment. The radiographers broadly agree that they are aware of the CRC’s guidelines and that these are of great importance in x-ray examinations. No significant difference was shown between the hospitals. Conclusion: Respondents agreed that informing pediatric patients about radiation safety and the importance of being still is most important. Radiology clinics were not considered to have a well-adapted environment. Radiographers’ knowledge of the CRC needs to be constantly updated.

Bakgrund: Flyktingfrågan blev högaktuell under 2000-talet. Detta då en allt större andelen samkommande ungdomar ankom Europa samtidigt som synen alltmer utgår från att dessa urholkar den nationella kulturen, sammanhållning och social välfärd. År 2020 initierades en offentlig utredning där huvuduppdraget innebar att utreda hur en “långsiktigt hållbar” migrationspolitik kan skapas. I samband med detta föreslogs i nämnda utredning bland annat att endast bevilja tillfälliga uppehållstillstånd. Flyktingar uppfattas alltmer som ett hot mot den nationella kollektiva identiteten. De samhälleliga förändringarna och paradigmskiftet påverkar i allra högsta grad nyanlända barn och ungdomar. För den ensamkommande gruppen av barn innebär flykten i sig en särskilt otrygg situation utan egen familj och det skyddsnät som denna utgör. För denna grupp är därför anskaffandet av ett arbete, som är enviktig del av en lyckad integration, av särskilt stor vikt med tanke på att det i många fall avgör möjligheterna att stanna i Sverige.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur ensamkommande ungdomar upplever anskaffandet av ett arbete i Sverige, samt att i denna process undersöka vilket stöd som ungdomarna anser vara mest betydelsefullt. Följande frågeställningar bearbetas i studien: ● Vilka utmaningar upplever de ensamkommande ungdomarna när det gäller att erhålla ett arbete i Sverige? ● Vilka underlättande faktorer upplever de ensamkommande ungdomarna när det gäller att erhålla ett arbete i Sverige? ● Vilket vuxenstöd anses av ungdomarna som mest betydelsefullt på vägen mot anskaffandet av ett arbete? Metod: Kvalitativ metod användes i studien och data producerades genom att tolv semistrukturerade intervjuer genomfördes med ensamkommande individer som rekryterades via ett bekvämlighetsurval (privata kontakter), på grund av det rådande pandemiläget. Intervjuerna genomfördes i samverkan med en annan medstudent. Det teoretiska ramverket bestod av ett fenomenologiskt perspektiv. Intervjuerna transkriberades och en tematisk analys gjordes utifrån ett perspektiv på integration.  Resultat och slutsatser: De ensamkommande ungdomarnas upplevelser sammanställdes efter tematisk analys, och presenterades i fem olika teman. Språk, avsaknad av körkort och en upplevd rasism skapade hinder för inträde på arbetsmarknaden, samtidigt som de ensamkommande ungdomarna framförde vikten av att uppnå självständighet och att inte ge upp som styrkor. Kontaktnät och att ha ett socialt stöd upplevdes av ungdomarna som avgörande för att finna ett arbete. Juridiska hinder och den oro som dessa skapar, var något som i detta sammanhang stack ut på ett negativt sätt i ungdomarnas berättelser. Området för studien är relativt outforskat, och betoningen på ungdomarnas egna upplevelser bidrar med en ny dimension till barn- och ungdomsforskningen på detta område, där fokus ligger på forskning med i stället för om ungdomarna. När ungdomarnas eget perspektiv lyfts i förhållande till möjligheten till inträde på den svenska arbetsmarknaden, blir detta ett bidrag till den samlade bilden av det praktiska integrationsarbetet. Background: The refugee issue became highly topical during the 2000s. This is due to the fact that an increasing number of unaccompanied minors arrived to Europe, but also the more and more widespread view that they erode the national culture, cohesion and social welfare. In 2020, a public inquiry was initiated in which the main task was to investigate how a “sustainable” migration policy can be created. During this time, it was proposed in the saidinquiry, among other things, to grant only temporary residence permits. Refugees are increasingly perceived as a threat to the national collective identity. The societal changes and the paradigm shift affect newly arrived children and young people to a very high degree. Fort he unaccompanied group of children, escape in itself means a particularly insecure situation without one's own family and the safety net that this constitutes. For this group, therefore, the acquisition of a job, which is an important part of a successful integration, is of particular importance, given that in many cases it determines the possibilities of staying in Sweden. Aim: The purpose of the study is to investigate how unaccompanied minors experience the acquisition of a job in Sweden, and in this process to investigate which support the group considers most important. The following issues are addressed in the study: What challenges do the unaccompanied minors experience when it comes to getting a job in Sweden? What facilitating factors do the unaccompanied minors experience when it comes to getting a job in Sweden? Which adult support is considered most significant by the unaccompanied minors, when it comes to acquiring a job?  Method: Qualitative method was used in the study and data were produced by conducting twelve semi-structured interviews with unaccompanied individuals who were recruited via a convenience sample (private contacts), due to the prevailing pandemic situation. The interviews were conducted in collaboration with another fellow student. The theoretical framework consisted of a phenomenological perspective. The interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis was implemented, using an integrational perspective.  Results and conclusions: The experiences of unaccompanied young people were compiled after implementing the thematic analysis, and presented in five different themes. Language, lack of driving licenses and a perceived racism created obstacles for entry to the labor market, while the unaccompanied young people emphasized the importance of achieving independence and not giving up as strengths. Contact networks and having social support were perceived by the young people as crucial for finding a job. Legal obstacles and the anxiety they create was something that in this context stood out in a negative way in theyoung people’s stories.  The area of the study is relatively unexplored, and the emphasis on young people's own experiences contributes a new dimension to child and youth research in this area. When the young people's own perspective is illustrated in relation to the possibility of entering the Swedish labor market, this also becomes a contribution to the overall picture of the practical integration work.

Bakgrund: Prematurfödda eller sjuka nyfödda barnet som vårdas på neonatalavdelningar utsätts regelbundet för separationer från sina föräldrar trots att forskning visar på en mängd negativa konsekvenser för både barnet och föräldern till följd av separationen. Syfte: Att undersöka vårdpersonalens inställning till nollseparation och vilka faktorer som främjar respektive hindrar nollseparation mellan barn och förälder under den neonatala perioden. Syftet var dessutom att undersöka vårdpersonalens inställning till nollseparation i relation till Barnkonventionen. Metod: En tvärsnittsstudie med deskriptiv design. Mixad metod användes för att svara på studiens frågeställningar. Totalt deltog 16 vårdpersonal i studien. Enkätstudien kompletterades med en systematisk litteraturstudie. Resultat: Viktigaste faktorerna som främjade nollseparation mellan barn och förälder var hud-mot-hudkontakt, föräldramedverkan i vården, samvård och möjlighet att utföra lättare neonatalvård hos föräldrarna på BB- avdelning. Viktiga faktorer som hindrade nollseparation var vårdmiljön som inte var anpassad för nollseparation, bristande tillgång på övernattningsmöjligheter för föräldrarna, personalbrist samt kompetens-och kunskapsbrist hos vårdpersonalen. Vårdpersonalens inställning till nollseparation i relation till Barnkonventionen varierade. Slutsats: Stor del av vårdpersonalen ansåg att separation mellan barn och föräldrar bör undvikas. Dock utmanades vårdpersonalens arbete mot nollseparation av ett stort antal hinder så som faktorer rörande vårdorganisation, vårdpersonal, föräldrar och barn. För framtidens neonatalvård blir det därför viktigt att identifiera och eliminera dessa hinder för att möjliggöra nollseparation mellan barn och föräldrar i alla lägen, samt för att uppfylla Barnkonventionen. / Background: Preterm or newborn babies in need of neonatal care are often separated from their parents. However, research show that separation are associated with negative consequences for both child and parental health. Aim: To examine nurses’ beliefs about factors that promote and hinder zero separation between parent and child during the neonatal period. The aim was also to examine nurses’ perceptions about zero separation in relation to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Method: A mixed methods, cross-sectional study. A total of 16 nurses completed a survey. In addition, a supplemental literature overview was conducted. Results: Important factors that positively impacted zero separation between parent and child were skin-to-skin care, parental participation in nursing of the child and the possibility to perform minor neonatal care at the maternity unit. Important factors that negatively impacted zero separation were the environment not being optimal, lack of overnight accommodations, staff shortages and lack of competence and knowledge in the staff. There was a variation in the thoughts about zero separation in relation to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Conclusions: Most part of the nursing staff believed that separation of the child from the parent should be avoided. Nevertheless, minimising separation was challenging because of various obstacles such as factors regarding organisation, staff, parents and child. Neonatal units must identify and eliminate these obstacles in order to make zero separation between parent and child possible and to fulfill the guidelines of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.