”Discrimination Against Children” in the Light of Landmark Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the Us Supreme Court
One of the most significant and convoluted issues regarding the international protection of human rights is the right to non-discrimination. Discrimination, which can be defined as less favourable treatment in a narrow sense, undoubtedly poses a threat to various social groups in society; however, it is particularly a threat to children, as they are disadvantaged in terms of the power structure of society and are more vulnerable than adults due to their age-related necessities. A violation of rights during childhood can lead to much more serious and even irreparable consequences than a violation of rights experienced during adulthood, because it prevents or delays the flow of developmental opportunities during this period. Children who cannot influence decision-makers due to their inability to vote and who cannot assert their rights due to limited rights of participation and association face significant difficulties in expressing their experiences. In light of these facts, States have a great responsibility to ensure that a child whose rights have been violated due to discrimination based on ethnic background, disability, age, birth, other grounds such as religion, language, etc., can claim their rights, to compensate for the damage caused by the violation, and to prevent the recurrence of similar violations.
Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi ve ABD Yüksek Mahkemesi’nin Önemli Kararları Işığında ‘Çocuklara Yönelik Ayrımcılık’
İnsan haklarının uluslararası korunmasına ilişkin en önemli ve bir o kadar da karmaşık konulardan biri ayrımcılığa uğramama hakkıdır. En dar anlamıyla daha dezavantajlı muamele olarak tanımlanabilecek olan ayrımcılık, şüphesiz toplumdaki çeşitli sosyal gruplara yönelik bir tehdit oluşturmakta; ancak toplumun güç yapısı açısından avantajlı olmadıkları ve yaşa bağlı gereksinimleri nedeniyle yetişkinlere göre daha savunmasız oldukları için özellikle çocuklar için bir tehdit oluşturmaktadır. Çocukluk döneminde yaşanan bir hak ihlali, bu dönemdeki gelişim fırsatlarının akışını engellediği veya geciktirdiği için, yetişkinlik döneminde yaşanan bir hak ihlalinden çok daha zor, hatta telafisi imkansız sonuçlar doğurabilmektedir. Oy kullanamadıkları için karar vericileri etkileme konusunda etkisiz kalan, katılım ve örgütlenme hakları sınırlı olduğu için haklarını arayamayan çocuklar, deneyimlerini ifade etmekte önemli sorunlarla karşılaşmaktadır. Bu hususlar karşısında etnik köken, engellilik, yaş, doğum ve din, dil gibi diğer temellere dayalı ayrımcılık nedeniyle hakları ihlal edilen bir çocuğun haklarını arayabilmesini sağlamak, ihlalin yol açtığı zararı tazmin etmek ve benzer ihlallerin tekrarlanmasını önlemek için devletlere büyük sorumluluk düşmektedir.
This paper first examines discrimination as a concept in general, defining its components and classifications as direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, positive discrimination, multiple (intersectional) discrimination, compound discrimination, structural discrimination. After emphasising that human rights cannot be understood only as adult rights and that every individual has human rights regardless of age, discrimination against children and international instruments that guarantee their rights against discrimination are evaluated in detail. In this context, the major international human rights conventions in which children are protected by anti-discrimination provisions are highlighted. In particular, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is analysed as the most widely accepted and rapidly ratified international human rights treaty in history. The significance of the CRC as a unique international instrument that ensures children’s rights, protects them from all forms of discrimination, imposes obligations on States to respect and fulfil the rights set out in the CRC is emphasised.
In the rest of this paper, discrimination against children on multiple grounds is discussed in a comparative perspective, in light of the various landmark decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the US Supreme Court, to understand the approaches of these two judicial authorities in protecting children against discrimination. In the United States, where children’s rights are not directly regulated in the US Constitution and the Convention on the Rights of the Child has not been ratified by the US Government, the US jurisprudence of the Supreme Court has significantly contributed to the recognition of children’s rights. On the other hand, the European Court of Human Rights has been instrumental in promoting access to remedies for children in relation to their right to be free from discrimination. Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides for the prohibition of discrimination and ensures that the full exercise of the rights set out in the Convention without discrimination based on any factor. The Convention does not define the child; however, Article 1 of the Convention requires State Parties to guarantee the rights mentioned in the Convention to “everyone” under their authority. The European Court of Human Rights has adopted this approach in its judgement and has accepted the definition of the “child” of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The European Court of Human Rights has recognised the significance of the CRC and has often referred to it in its rulings.
Both the European Court of Human Rights and the US Supreme Court have an extensive body of case law on discrimination against children, particularly based on ethnic background, disability, age, birth, other grounds as religion and language. In the light of these monumental decisions it is analysed how these Courts interpret and address the discrimination issues, whether they take into account the “best interests of the child” when deciding cases related to discrimination against children, whether these Courts are receptive to achieve a beneficial outcome for a disadvantaged group, and finally, whether these Courts have adapted the interpretation of rights provisions to constantly evolving circumstances and situations when interpreting these provisions, in other words, whether these Courts have interpreted the instruments such as the US Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights as living documents or not. Finally, in conclusion, evaluations are provided in line with the formulation and jurisprudence of both Courts on landmark cases of discrimination against children.
