THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD IN A CHANGING WORLD

The Best Interests of the Child principle is a dynamic dance between three nodes: children’s rights and best interests, sociocultural norms, and a rapidly changing world – each with their own pull-on children’s experiences. The power of the Best Interests principle is that it continuously challenges the sociocultural norms that disempower children, and similarly does not automatically give way to the tragedies or thrills of a changing world, but examines it and puts it to task to ensure the best interests considerations are always paramount. Thus, the dynamic dance, with the ‘best interests’ being the constant pull for change that is more respectful of children and their rights