The rights of the child protect children and ensure the possiblity for every child to get the chance to live a worthy and dignified life. A child is a human being, a complete person and not a thing or a commodity. Most violations against the rights of the child come from regarding children as things that can be owned, bought and sold, and used and abused as one wishes. In this book leading experts deal with the main problems surrounding the implementation of childrens rights. The various important contributions deal with different cultural and historical contexts and explore different perspectives on this pressing issue in todays world.

Carol Bellamy, 1942, President and CEO of 'World Learning' and President of 'School for International Training'. She assumed the leadership of 'World Learning' in May 2005, having completed ten years as executive director of UNICEF, the childrens agency of the United Nations. A private, non-profit international organization, 'World Learning' promotes international and intercultural understanding through education, training, exchange and development activities in over 90 countries on five continents. Prior to joining UNICEF, Carol Bellamy was Director of the 'United States Peace Corps'. Ms. Bellamy has had a distinguished career in the private sector. She also spent 13 years as an elected public official, including five years in the New York State Senate (1973-1977). In 1978, she became the first woman to be elected President of the New York City Council, a position she held until 1985. Jean Zermatten, 1948, has been President and Dean of the Juvenile Court of the canton of Valais/CH since 1980; he is also the Founder and Director of the International Institute for the Rights of the Child in Sion/CH, has been a lecturer at the University of Fribourg, and initiated the Executive Master on Childrens Rights.