EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD RIGHTS NORMS IN TAMIL NADU SCHOOLS: A NON-DOCTRINAL EMPIRICAL STUDY
AUTHOR – AJANRAMANA J H, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE IN LAW (SOEL), THE TAMILNADU DR. AMBEDKAR LAW UNIVERSITY
BEST CITATION – AJANRAMANA J H, EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERNATIONAL CHILD RIGHTS NORMS IN TAMIL NADU SCHOOLS: A NON-DOCTRINAL EMPIRICAL STUDY, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (14) OF 2025, PG. 839-852, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.
INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH FRAMEWORK
Children constitute a vulnerable section of society requiring special protection and care due to their physical, mental, and emotional immaturity. Recognising this vulnerability, international law has evolved a comprehensive framework of child rights aimed at ensuring survival, development, protection, and participation of children in all spheres of life, particularly education.[1]Schools play a crucial role in the realisation of child rights, as they are the primary institutions where children spend a significant part of their formative years.The adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 (UNCRC) marked a milestone in international human rights law by recognising children as independent holders of rights rather than mere objects of welfare.[2] India ratified the UNCRC in 1992 and thereby undertook an obligation to harmonise domestic laws, policies, and institutional practices with international child rights standards.[3]
Despite constitutional guarantees and the enactment of child-centric legislations such as the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, concerns continue to be raised regarding the actual implementation of international child rights norms at the school level. Tamil Nadu, though relatively advanced in educational indicators, is not immune from issues such as lack of awareness of child rights, inadequate training of teachers, limited child participation, and weak enforcement mechanisms. This study adopts a non-doctrinal (empirical) research approach to examine the effectiveness of international child rights norms in Tamil Nadu schools, based on the perceptions and experiences of teachers, parents, and children, with particular emphasis on empirical data collected from teachers.
[1] UNICEF, Convention on the Rights of the Child, Introduction (1989).
[2] United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Nov. 20, 1989.
[3] Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, Status of Child Rights in India (1992).