Children’s rights are human rights, and Hong Kong needs to enforce them

Do we, as a society, provide adequate professional support for child victims and their families? We hope that they develop resilience, but hope without action is wishful thinking at best. Policymakers have been “hoping” ethnic minority students assimilate and learn Chinese so that what is imposed on them is no longer considered a barrier. We can’t wish away problems and deprive them of the education, opportunities and life they have every right to.

In Hong Kong, we have a sexual conviction record check, put into force barely five years ago, to protect children and the mentally incapacitated. Government figures say the system has been put to good use by employers, and is effective in deterring sex offenders from taking up child-related work. But the fact remains: Hong Kong waited until the end of 2011 to put the system in place.

On United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day, we must confront some difficult questions. On protecting children and their rights to life, health, education, play, family life, protection from violence and discrimination, and to have their views heard, is “something” enough?

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted by the UN General Assembly 28 years ago today, came into force in Hong Kong in 1994. But we’ve been dragging our feet on undertaking the appropriate legislation, administration and other measures to implement child rights. Hong Kong still has no children’s commission.