Workshop 4: The Principles of Development and Best Interest

Based on the root causes and effects of poverty, identify and write down 5 actions that the States can undertake to ensure the right to development for all children.

Answer the following questions:

Question: After reading the file “Unaccompanied Minors”, identify the pros and cons of the implementation of the Centre for the Unaccompanied Minors at the village and complete the Form below.

Decide whether the decision taken by the State is in accordance to the Principle of the Best Interest and write a short paragraph stating your reasoning. To evaluate it, consider whether the decision took into account the following:

• The view of the children themselves, depending on their age and maturity.
• Child safety and care.
• Whether the decision fulfils the needs of the children.
• The factors that result in these children being in a vulnerable situation.
• Whether all necessary measures have been taken to ensure that the children enjoy all their rights.
• The child’s right to develop to the greatest extent possible.
• If there are any conflicting interests in what has been presented.
• The quality of life children will experience.

Below you can see two families both residing in the city. The first family earns an income of €4000 per month, while the second family earns an income of €900 per month. Identify the kinds of food that the two families are expected to consume (cost, quantity, where they buy them from); and what other consumer items they can afford to buy after satisfying their basic needs. Complete the tables provided.

To understand and respond to poverty, we need to see it as a situation with numerous connections to other issues. In particular, when we are trying to eliminate poverty, it can be useful to look at the underlying causes. Addressing these is often more effective than trying to address poverty itself. Upon the tree that follows you need to fill in the roots of the tree (causes) and its branches (effects). When you work down the tree, you explore answers to the question “why does this happen?”. One cause can have its own causes. For the branches you need to explore possible consequences of items lower down the branch. In other words, what would happen to an individual or a group of children that experience poverty for a prolonged period of time. What might happen as a result of that?