The treaty of Lisbon : a step forward for children?

Abstract

This thesis brings to the forefront an analysis on the EU’s children’s policy. Indeed, apart from the international and national levels of authority, these rights must be also taken into consideration on an EU level since its measures directly and indirectly affect children. With the main focus being the Treaty of Lisbon, which for the first time explicitly includes children’s rights as one of the Union’s objectives, this thesis examines whether this Treaty has been a step forward for children by improving the Union’s children’s policy. Therefore this involves a brief examination of its children’s policy in the years prior to the Treaty. To identify whether the LT has been a step forward, the criteria of a children’s policy are discussed in the light of the changes brought by the LT. Consequently, this thesis discusses whether a child rights perspective has been adopted in the Union’s acts and also evaluates its exercise of monitoring these rights. It also examines the indirect impact of the LT on the Union’s children’s policy. Finally, it assesses whether the Union has developed child focused structures, resources and investment to support children’s rights. Considering that this thesis has identified a number of shortcomings in the Union’s present policy, this thesis concludes by examining various avenues on how the Union can strengthen its children’s policy to ensure that children’s rights are adequately promoted and protected in accordance to its objective.