THE LEGAL STATUS OF MINORS AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS

Аннотация

The article analyzes the system of international protection of the rights and interests of minors as an integral part of the field of human rights. The historical, social, and legal foundations of the development of the international legal institution of children's rights are clarified. The stages of the evolution of the international human rights protection system since 1945 are examined, particularly the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenants, and their connection to children's rights. The processes of specification and specialization of international human rights instruments since the 1980s are analyzed, along with the content and significance of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 2000 Optional Protocol, and the 1993 Hague Convention. Furthermore, the role of institutional mechanisms in the international human rights protection system, their effectiveness, and the process of improvement are studied. Keywords: International law, human rights, children's rights, convention, declaration, optional protocol, institutional mechanisms, international protection, minors. Protection of the rights and interests of minors is one of the most relevant and priority areas in the field of human rights today. Considering their natural biological and psychological developmental stages, children need more social protection, care, and adapted legal mechanisms than adults. Therefore, in modern international legal practice, a comprehensive system of international legal norms aimed at ensuring the rights of minors has been formed, which is enshrined in relevant international conventions, declarations, optional protocols, and other regulatory legal acts. These legal mechanisms are primarily aimed at creating conditions for the full and harmonious development of children as individuals, protecting them from any exploitation, violence, discrimination, and threats. In particular, the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, adopted by the UN General Assembly on November 20, 1959, recognizes that children need special care and special legal protection due to their insufficient physical and mental development. Based on 49 ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE International scientific-online conference this principle, states implement coordinated measures both within the national legislative system and at the international level. In this regard, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989, occupies a special place. This Convention guarantees the rights of children to life, development, expression of opinions, education, health and protection from exploitation and obliges states to exercise these rights. At the same time, the 1993 Hague Convention on the Protection and Cooperation of Children in International Adoption is also one of the important legal foundations, ensuring the priority of the interests of the child in international adoption processes and preventing cases of illegal adoption. The Optional Protocol[2], adopted in 2000 and supplementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, also establishes international legal obligations to combat child trafficking, child prostitution, and child pornography. This document requires states not only to take strict measures against these types of crimes, but also to rehabilitate and provide comprehensive assistance to affected children. It should be noted that the protection of children's rights is considered by the international community as one of the main principles of human development, and the international legal documents adopted in this direction serve to bring the domestic policy and legislative system of states into line with international standards. Since 1945, the process of protecting human rights at the international level has been developing gradually, and this evolutionary process includes several historical stages. This classification was developed by Professor S.V. Chernichenko, who systematically outlined the main stages of the formation of international legal protection of human rights in his work "Theory of International Law"[3]. Since 1945, the evolution of the international protection of human rights has included several stages. This staging was developed by Professor S.V. Chernichenko, who systematically analyzed the process of formation of international legal protection of human rights in his scientific work "Theory of International Law." In particular, the first stage covers the period from 1945 to the beginning of the 1980s. The main feature of this period is characterized by the collection of international human rights standards and their definition in the form of general principles. This process began with the adoption of the United Nations Charter in 1945. In the UN Charter, a special place is given to the principle of respect for 50 ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE International scientific-online conference human rights, and paragraph 3 of Article 1 of the document defines one of the mai