Protecting children from harmful practices in plural legal systems with a special emphasis in Africa

Across regions, millions of children continue to suffer from various forms of harmful practices, including female genital mutilation, early and forced marriage, breast ironing, son preference, female infanticide, virginity testing, honour crimes, bonded labour, forced feeding and nutritional taboos, accusation of witchcraft, as well as a great number of other less known practices. Harmful practices may be traditional or emerging, but generally have some cultural, social or religious underpinning. Common for most harmful practices is that they have devastating consequences on the child’s life, development, health, education and protection.
1. Setting the scene -- 2. International human rights standards to protect children from harmful practices -- 3. Plural legal systems and the protection of children from harmful practices -- 4. Implementing legislation to support the abandonment of harmful practices -- 5. Protecting children from harmful practices within plural legal systems -- 6. Conclusions and recommendations.

vii, 35 p.

Includes bibliographical references.

9789210582902