The UNCRC at 25. Critical Reflections on its Influence and Impact on Educational Research; Past, Present and Future

On 20 November 1989, the United Nations General Assembly, comprised of delegates representing a wide spectrum of legal systems, cultures and religious traditions, unanimously adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Now almost a quarter of a century on, the CRC is ratified by almost the entire international community and is widely regarded as the most important advocacy tool for children’s rights. Incorporating the full range of human rights - civil, cultural, economic, political and social, it creates an international legal framework for the protection and promotion of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons under the age of 18. In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the CRC and inspired by the theme of ECER 2014, 'The past, present and future of educational research in Europe', we propose a round table session of three papers that focus on a critical exploration of the ways in which the CRC has informed, presently informs and may in future inform, educational research internationally.