Parental Rights seeks “to secure a constitutional amendment that defends the rights of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children.” This is at odds with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) which “is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights—civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.”1
Although the convention was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 and 193 countries have since ratified it, two member nations – namely the United States and Somalia – have not. Nations who ratify the convention “are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child.” The best interests of the child are determined by an 18-member committee based in Switzerland.
The UNCRC raises questions about United States’ sovereignty and continuing state interference in the private life of families and individuals.
The following is a video introduction to the Parental Rights initiative. Related UN convention documents can be obtained at Official UN Documents on UNCRC.
Sources:
- “Convention on the Rights of the Child”. UNICEF. 25 Oct 2009.↩
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