Abstract
Brazil and Mexico are considered to be the most rapidly developing nations in Latin America. This paper explores these countries’ efforts to progress socially, specifically in the field of children’s and adolescents’ rights, along with their renowned economic growth. The approval of national and international legislation in both nations demonstrates a clear commitment to human rights ideals; however, many obstacles remain for the laws and treaties to be truly enforced and respected. Brazil has implemented various strategies to promote youth participation and strengthen the voice of civil society in public policy. Brazilian programs, specifically the Children’s Rights Councils, should be taken as examples for what Mexico can do to respond to recommendations by the UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child to increase the involvement of youth and civil society in government efforts to promote young people’s rights. While the legal framework for children’s rights in Mexico has improved a great deal since the turn of the century, there have been few actions that reflect integrated efforts to achieve a culture where children’s and adolescents’ rights are truly respected.
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Notes
- 1.
The term “children and youth in street situations” has come to replace “street children”, children ‘on’ and ‘of’ the streets”, and “homeless youth” in the language of academics and activists with a rights-based approach, as it allows for analysis in a broader context and considers their position in the streets as a condition that can be overcome (Rizzini et al. 2007). The term covers both categories of children ‘on’ and ‘of’ the streets, but is not a category in itself; it is rather a way to stress the importance of describing and understanding the “situations” in which young people can be found on the streets. The other term that has become accepted in reference to these children is “street-connectedness”, again reflecting a potentially temporary condition, rather than labeling them as belonging to the streets, trying to categorize them as never or always sleeping on the streets, or having or not having a home (Thomas de Benítez 2011).
- 2.
In Brazil, the term “youth” often includes young people up to the age of 24. Some of the statistics in this text use this age limit for youth.
- 3.
Note that the most common measure of poverty in Brazil is the monthly per capita income, a figure controlled by family size.
- 4.
See http://bolsafamilia.net/bolsa-familia-2012-reajuste-valor-bolsa-familia/html (unofficial blog of Bolsa Família) and http://www.mds.gov.br/bolsafamilia (official government reports on Bolsa Familia) [Accessed 27 May 2013].
- 5.
Based on exchange rate of April 1, 2013.
- 6.
The time periods and age groups used in this section reflect the ranges used by different sources of data.
- 7.
Based on exchange rate from April 1, 2013.
- 8.
This term refers to children who spend a significant amount of time on the streets out of need, regardless of whether or not they sleep on the streets.
- 9.
See the CIESPI data resource at www.ciespi.org.br, Table 14.
- 10.
This honorary position is described on the following page.
- 11.
The following material on the current Children’s Rights Councils comes from Rizzini (coord.) 2010: pp. 166–174 and from Secretaria de Direitos Humanos and CONANDA 2005.
- 12.
Available in Portuguese at http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Leis/L8069.htm
- 13.
The national census on children in street situations was only completed after the Council had adopted the policy.
- 14.
The OP on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography was passed on January 18, 2002 and the OP on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict followed on February 12, 2002. The most recent Protocol regarding Communications Procedures has been open since February 28, 2012, but has yet to be passed in Mexico.
- 15.
Currently, Chihuahua is the only state that does not have its own law for the protection of children’s rights. This is also the state with the highest teen homicide rate; in 2010 over 26 % of homicide deaths of adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 occurred in Chihuahua.
- 16.
Translation by author.
- 17.
One exception is the 2013 agenda of the REDIM to collaborate in the design of a general law for children’s rights.
- 18.
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Rizzini, I., Strickland, D. (2014). Growing Up in Contexts of Vulnerability: The Challenges in Changing Paradigms and Practices for Children’s and Adolescents’ Rights in Brazil and Mexico. In: Stoecklin, D., Bonvin, JM. (eds) Children’s Rights and the Capability Approach. Children’s Well-Being: Indicators and Research, vol 8. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9091-8_13
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