Tímarit um menntarannsóknir - 01.01.2014, Page 37

Það sem barni er fyrir bestu. Ögrandi viðfangsefni? Spurningar tengdar Barnasáttmála Sameinuðu þjóðanna
þar sem valdi hins fullorðna er ekki mis-
beitt. Eins og hér hefur komið fram er erfitt
að túlka t.d. ákvæðið um að það sem sé
barni fyrir bestu skuli ávallt vera ráðandi
við alla ákvörðunartöku er snertir það.
Þegar þessu ákvæði er beitt geta sterkir
hagsmunir tekist á og niðurstaðan hlýtur
að ráðast af því hver túlkar ákvæði sátt-
málans í þeim kringumstæðum sem um
ræðir. Það skiptir því miklu máli, t.d. í
kennaramenntun, að hinni siðferðilegu
vídd kennarastarfsins séu gerð góð skil.
Á endanum snýst þetta um vald, þar sem
spurningin um stétt, kyn, þjóðerni og ald-
ur er mikilvæg. Hæfni til að túlka ákvæði
sáttmálans og beita þeim á raunhæfan hátt
og með hliðsjón af mikilvægi allra barna
er einmitt vænst af kennurum í skólastarfi.
Því skiptir máli að kynna sér inntak sátt-
málans, beita honum þegar við á og virða
ákvæði hans.
Abstract
The best interests of the child - provoking or unworkable
subject? Some questions about the Convention on
the Rights of the Child.
The article primarily focuses on the moral
dilemmas that can arise due to implemen-
tation of certain provisions of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child (specifically Articles 2, 3, 9 and 12).
It will also point out the conflicts of inter-
est which can occur when making deci-
sions in the best interests of children. In
addition, the article will discuss the funda-
mental basis of the Convention and why it
was created.
Views towards children and childhood
that are dominant at any given time af-
fect how extensively children enjoy their
rights. The article will highlight adults'
views towards children and childhood
over the past decades and outline the
position of children in the United Na-
tions Convention on Children's Rights.
They can be viewed in many ways, but
this study specifically examines the ethi-
cal dilemmas and conflicts of interest
that can arise in the application of cer-
tain provisions of the Convention. In ad-
dition, there are educational paradoxes
that can arise when the custody of par-
ents' and children's autonomy collide.
To be able to analyze these phenom-
ena, it is important to know a Iittle
bit about the creation of the Conven-
tion and its view toward children.
The new sociology of childhood makes a
distinction between the terms «a human
becoming» (at maturity, incomplete) and
"a human being" (independent, qualified).
The Convention assumes in its view of the
child that it is “a human being." The Con-
vention also assumes that the child is in-
dependent, a qualified person and a doer
in its life. This position assumes that the
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