Children’s rights in theory and practice
On this website you will find articles and publications by Dr. Philip E. Veerman about children’s rights and announcements of symposia and conferences in the field of (international) children’s rights.
Recent articles
One century of children’s rights
A legacy and an international commitment that stand the test of time. Read the brochure here: One century of children's rights - brochure
Prevention of Youth Homelessness Conference
I will be speaking at the Prevention of Youth Homelessness Conference FEBRUARY 24-26, 2025 WESTIN HARBOUR CASTLE, TORONTO, ONTARIO, Canada
Childhood and Migration Blog Launched
The 'Childhood and Migration' blog series officially concluded on Wednesday, August 7th. The series has been compiled onto a single webpage that you can access by going to this link. This series was co-hosted by The Childhood, Law, and Policy Network (CLPN) and The Critical Childhoods and Youth...
Keeping child refugees separated from their families is cruel
In the fourth installment of our blog series on 'Childhood and Migration,' our member Philip Veerman (Netherlands) discusses his experiences as a health psychologist working with Eritrean child refugees in the Netherlands Published: 10 July 2024 You have probably never heard of Ana Gulu. It...
Introduction to our ‘Childhood and Migration’ blog series
Over the coming weeks, we will be publishing a series of blogs on the theme of 'childhood and migration,' edited by our members Adrienne Lee Atterberry (Union College, US) and Karina Ruiz (University of California Santa Cruz, US). In this introduction, Adrienne and Karina provide an overview of...
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – A Commentary, edited by John Tobin - is now available on Brill.com.
Research Supports the Need to Recognize the Right to Free Early Childhood Education and Free Secondary Education
We, the undersigned individuals, are scholars, experts, and researchers on the education, development, wellbeing, and rights of children and adolescents. We write to express our support for a new optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) focused on the right to...
International Seminar September 9, 2023
The Polish Jewish Pioneer on Children's Human Rights, Janusz Korczak (1878-1942) and Children as Human Right's Defenders according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child September 9, 2023 in the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations Office at Geneva Program ...
Bienvenue au Okaju SummerSeminar 2023
Journées de formation, d’information et d’échanges sur la situation des droits de l’enfant au Luxembourg et dans le monde L’édition 2023 du SummerSeminar est organisée par l’Office de l’Ombudsman fir Kanner a Jugendlecher, (OKAJU), en partenariat avec l’Université du Luxembourg, l’Ombudsman et le...
Philip Edmond Veerman
Philip Edmond Veerman (Amsterdam, 28 juni 1948) is an expert in children’s rights, health-psychology and (special) education. He initiated several new child welfare organisations in the Netherlands and developed international children’s rights initiatives. For his 40 years of efforts to promote children’s rights he was given a Royal distinction, when in 2015 he became Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu came to his senses: freedom of expression is not treason! See the BBC news item: bbc.com/news/articles/cr4lzq…
Impact of climate on children? Here is one.Schools close in Lahore as pollution hits record level. See this BBC newsitem. bbc.com/news/articles/c5ymg6…
I offer my condoleances to the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo on the passing of Giovanola, who I had the pleasure to meet once in Buenos Aires. Thanks to her and the Grandmothers ‘the right to identity’ is in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child batimes.com.ar/news/argentin…
People can regress and probably States too. This NT’s regression is regrettable and against the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. See: Australia's Northern Territory resumes jailing 10-year-olds - BBC News bbc.com/news/articles/cpqz8g…
This is the 45th schoolshooting this year In the USA!! See: Georgia school shooting live updates: Suspect was a new student at the school and taken into custody within minutes nbcnews.com/news/us-news/liv…
They can make a diffetence. See: 8 million teens are eligible to vote. These high school students want to make sure more do. nbcnews.com/politics/2024-el…
Opinie: Laat kinderen en jongeren zoveel mogelijk meepraten als volwaardige burgers | de Volkskrant archive.ph/2024.07.31-132756…
It seemed a step forward for children but is it? See: Why a landmark kids online safety bill that just passed the Senate is still deeply divisive nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/w…
Sad about tragic findings innthe US. See: Over 970 Native American children died at federal boarding schools | Reuters reuters.com/world/us/over-97…
Now also Druze children. When will this madness end? See: White coffins of children killed in Hezbollah rocket attack carried through streets of Majdal Shams
timesofisrael.com/liveblog_e…
How sad that so many young people in care were abused in New Zeeland. Good that it was brought to the open. See: New Zealand landmark report finds 200,000 suffered abuse in care bbc.com/news/articles/c4ng6j…
Incredible that PM Netanyahu blocked starting a hospital for children in Gaza!!! Does he have enemies under 7 years old? See: PM vetoes Gallant's field hospital for Gaza kids; defense officials: He's playing politics
timesofisrael.com/pm-vetoes-…
To make a children’s hospital a taget how terrible for humanity. See: Russia strikes Kyiv children’s hospital in huge missile attack – POLITICO politico.eu/article/russians…
In memoriam Michael Freeman whose funeral I attended in London this afternoon. A giant in the field of children’s rights.
What about freedom of expression (in the CRC which Russia ratified)? See:15-year-old schoolboy sentenced to 5 years for leaflets criticising Putin humanrights-online.org/15-ye…
Today a new Dutch government was sworn in but we (the Minister of Children Foundation) did not get where we lobbyed fior (a Minister of Children), But we made new plans…
Young people in Hawaii achieved a lot! See: Hawaii agrees to 'groundbreaking' settlement of youth climate change case | Reuters reuters.com/legal/hawaii-agr…
Kylian Mbappé urges youth to vote to counter 'extremists': important that he encourages youth to vote in France!! See: bbc.com/news/videos/cgrr3n7y…
In the USA children are not safe in residential treatment centers. See: nbcnews.com/news/us-news/res…
If you put on your perfume look if ithe ingredients might be picked by children!! See: Luxury perfumes linked to child labour, BBC finds bbc.com/news/world-middle-ea…
Recent articles
NGO Comments on the Initial Israeli State Report on Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
NGO Comments on the Initial Israeli State Report on Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Lawmaking to Promote Children’s Rights, Ongoing Discrimination, and Many Serious Violations The Israeli section of Defense for Children International (DCI-Israel), in consultation with members of the Israeli...
Defending children’s rights
Philip Veerman’s blog in The Israel Times – In 1988 I founded the Israeli-Section of Defence for Children International (DCI) and struggled 17 years to get funding and run the organisation. We successfully lobbied for Israel’s signing and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. After ratification in 1991 we started to monitor its implementation.
Reflections on Joint Israeli-Palestinian Cooperation Projects
By Sami Adwan and Philip Veerman In: Palestine-Israel Journal, Vol. 7 No. 1 2000 Sami Adwan Dr. Sami Adwan teaches in the faculty of education of Bethlehem University and is co-director, with Prof. Dan Bar-On of Ben-Gurion University, of PRIME (Peace Research Institute in the Middle East). Philip Veerman Dr. Philip...
The Israeli Children’s Rights Monitor
In 1988 I was doing research in Israel for my dissertation on the Polish-Jewish educator and pediatrician Janusz Korczak I interviewed people who had been in children’s home that existed between 1912 and 1942). The work of Korczak (also a pioneer in children’s rights) put me on the track of rights of the child. I...