Núcleo Disca

Marcela Tenorio y Alicia Fuentes

Summary:

Speaking of Children and Adolescents (CNA) instead of the generic term “child” to refer to the diverse individuals within this group, or beginning to speak of childhoods in the plural, is a step forward in recognizing the diversity of voices and actors. When we say that all children are subjects of rights and not objects of protection, this implies active participation in forums where issues affecting them are addressed. This principle applies to CNA with typical development, but also to CNA with disabilities, with children with intellectual disabilities (ID) being the most frequently questioned when it comes to “presuming competence.” CNA with ID are more vulnerable than their neurotypical peers to rights violations and, especially, to sexual abuse. In this chapter, we provide a review of rights, focusing on CNA with disabilities, examining the case of CNA with ID as one that requires special attention. We present a summary of the barriers to accessing justice and propose a model of conscious and respectful care that improves access to justice for this group. Future research, with numerous ethical safeguards, should examine the situation of children and adolescents with disabilities from an empirical perspective.

Notes:

• The following summary was prepared by the Millennium Nucleus DISCA and is based exclusively on the publication. Therefore, it cannot be used for citations or references.
• This article was originally published in Spanish.

• Participación política

https://repositorio.oteima.ac.pa/handle/123456789/22