Judicial Oppression of Child Rights in Democratic States and by International Human Rights Bodies

The book analyzes in depth selected contemporary U.S., Canadianand European landmark and other cases illustrating the nature and impact of the legal regime thatundermines child human rights empowerment in many Westerm democracies. The objectives inwriting this book are to (i) encourage a re-evaluation of the legal regime that fosters the erosion ofthe notion of children as autonomous holders of fundamental human rights and not but subjectswith weak derivative rights stemming from parental or family rights; (ii) highlight the courts'proper role in a democracy of protecting child and youth human rights empowerment and to (iii)contribute to fostering an evolution in the historical notion of the court's patris patriae doctrineas including the protection and strengthening of child autonomous fundamental human rights andchild empowerment. Ultimately then the book highlights through the child rights domain thesignificant role the courts must and should play in strengthening democratic values andprinciples.