The commitment of the Swedish public sector to strengthen children’s rights : A study on the implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child into Swedish law

The present study investigated the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Swedish law through an examination of the juridical difficulties in the state and municipalities. The study employed three methods: Qualitative content analysis, juridical method, and a semi-structured interview. The results show that the incorporation alone is not sufficient but is a project that needs continuous efforts to have thorough effects on children’s rights. As the phrasing of the Convention is vague it results in difficulties in exercising the rights, especially regarding the best interest of the child. Furthermore, the Swedish law prohibits children under 18 years old to bring an action to court in certain issues such as migration cases. Additionally, as Sweden has not ratified the third optional protocol of the Convention regarding the right to seek justice from the Committee on the Rights of the Child in case of a violation of rights on a national level, this further limits children to exercise their rights. On the municipal level, dissemination of information and knowledge regarding the Convention, cooperation between municipal bodies and the government, commitment for change, and access to adequate resources are all important tools for the implementation