Every child has the right to a peaceful childhood and a suitable environment for development. In the presence of family conflicts, in addition to the violation of these rights, the child is subjected to mental stress, which can lead to depression and a number of other mental conditions.
In the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Art. 27 state asserts the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development. The parent(s) or others responsible for the child have the primary responsibility to secure, within their abilities and financial capacities, the conditions of living necessary for the child’s development.
Regarding domestic violence, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. (Art. 1), and it affirms that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. (Art. 3), it emphasizes that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. (Art. 5).
Article 29 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria states “No one shall be subjected to torture, to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as well as to non-violent assimilation”.
Authors: Deyan Valentinov, Ivelina Tikhomirova (XIb grade) and Silvia Alexandrova (IXa grade) from the High School of Science and mathematics “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Montana.
Reflection Questions:
- Check the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) and find the articles and rights that may be related to the topic.
- Mental and physical inviolability is related to the right to respect of private life. How do you understand the concept of psychological inviolability?