Universal Human Rights in National Contexts: Application of International Rights of the Child in Estonia, Finland and Russia
Date
2015-08-13
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Abstract
Inimõiguste universaalsus on rahvusvahelises õiguses tunnustatud dogma. Doktoritöö eesmärk oli välja selgitada lapse õiguste näitel, kas ja millisel määral on inimõiguste unviersaalsus riiklikus rakendamispraktikas tegelikult teostunud. Teisisõnu uuritakse, kuidas Eesti, Soome ja Venemaa on tõlgendanud ÜRO lapse õiguste konventsiooni ning millisel määral järgitakse rahvuslikes õiguskordades konventsiooni nõudeid. Kui riikide rakenduspraktika erineb konventsiooni nõuetest oluliselt, siis üritatakse töös välja tuua põhjuseid, miks neid ei järgita. Töö hüpotees on, et isegi nii laialdaselt ratifitseeritud lepingu kui ÜRO lapse õiguste konventsiooni puhul ei ole võimalik rääkida normide universaalsusest, kuna riikide poolt lepingu sätetele antud tähendus ning tõlgenduspraktikad erinevad kultuuriliste arusaamade ja väärtuste tõttu oluliselt.
Töö eesmärgi saavutamiseks analüüsiti esmalt, millised on rahvusvaheliste inimõiguste normide riikliku rakendamise üldised põhimõtted ning valupunktid. Seejärel analüüsiti detailsemalt lapse definitsiooni ning lapse parimate huvide põhimõtte rakendumist vaadeldud õiguskordades. Doktoritöö tulemusena selgub, et isegi konventsiooni aluspõhimõtete rakenduspraktika erineb riigiti oluliselt, sealhulgas tuginevad riigid konventsiooni mittejärgmisel ka näiteks traditsiooniliste väärtuste argumentidele.
Doktoritöös näidatakse ka, et ÜRO lapse õiguste konventsiooni rakendamise üle järelevalvet teostav lapse õiguste komitee ei ole oma tegevuses järjekindel ning jätab mitmed konventsiooniga vastuolus olevad rakendamise juhud lääneriikide puhul tähelepanuta. Üheks selliseks näiteks oli laste abielu lubatavuse küsimus, kus komitee ei ole analüüsitud riikidele soovitanud kehtestada üheselt mõistetavalt alaealise abiellumise keeldu. Doktoritöös pakutakse välja, et konventsiooni täitmise võti on just lapse õiguste komitee käes, kes saaks jõulisema tegutsemisega tagada seda, et liikmesriigid mõistavad lepingu nõudeid ühetaoliselt. See omakorda tagaks konventsiooni parema järgimise.
Universality of international human rights is a mainstream argument in international law. The ultimate aim of this dissertation is to analyse the interpretation and implementation of selected children’s rights in three states: Estonia, Finland, and Russia (hereinafter ‘the states’ or ‘the three states’). In particular, whether significant differences occur in the national implementation of the minimum core of these – purportedly universal – rights and what factors might cause any such differences are discussed. The main hypothesis of the work is that even in such a universally recognized document as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the universality claim does not hold true for the understanding, and, furthermore, the interpretation and practical application of the minimum core of rights in these states differs considerably. For achieving this goal, the conditions of national implementation of international human rights were first analysed. Secondly, the implementation of two primary principles of the CRC were analysed in Estonia, Finland, and Russia: the definition of a child and the best interests of a child. The research undertaken showed that there were considerable differences in the national implementation of the rights of the child. A number of these discrepancies were substantiated in different values or traditions. It was also shown that the practice of the CRC Committee is not consistent as it disregards several practices inconsistent with the CRC. One of such examples is child marriage, where the CRC Committee did not recommend the analysed states to implement the ban on child marriages. The dissertation proposes that more vigorous work of the CRC Committee in interpreting the norms and following up the developments of the states would have a positive effect on national legal systems and would guarantee better implementation of the CRC.
Universality of international human rights is a mainstream argument in international law. The ultimate aim of this dissertation is to analyse the interpretation and implementation of selected children’s rights in three states: Estonia, Finland, and Russia (hereinafter ‘the states’ or ‘the three states’). In particular, whether significant differences occur in the national implementation of the minimum core of these – purportedly universal – rights and what factors might cause any such differences are discussed. The main hypothesis of the work is that even in such a universally recognized document as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the universality claim does not hold true for the understanding, and, furthermore, the interpretation and practical application of the minimum core of rights in these states differs considerably. For achieving this goal, the conditions of national implementation of international human rights were first analysed. Secondly, the implementation of two primary principles of the CRC were analysed in Estonia, Finland, and Russia: the definition of a child and the best interests of a child. The research undertaken showed that there were considerable differences in the national implementation of the rights of the child. A number of these discrepancies were substantiated in different values or traditions. It was also shown that the practice of the CRC Committee is not consistent as it disregards several practices inconsistent with the CRC. One of such examples is child marriage, where the CRC Committee did not recommend the analysed states to implement the ban on child marriages. The dissertation proposes that more vigorous work of the CRC Committee in interpreting the norms and following up the developments of the states would have a positive effect on national legal systems and would guarantee better implementation of the CRC.
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Keywords
inimõigused, lapse õigused, Eesti, Soome, Venemaa, human rights, children's rights, Estonia, Finland, Russia