Race 'should not block adoption'

The government is updating guidance on adoption in England to stress that

consideration of a child's race should not be a barrier to finding a home.

:BBC News on 2 November 2010:

As you will see above, this topic interests me to consider about right-based  approach to a child in accordance with a Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 1989, which has been supposed to protect and safeguard the welfare of all children as equal human beings. In the news, it claims that

       …“Children's Minister said there was no reason to stop white couples adopting black or Asian babies. Although the law and guidance is clear that due consideration needs to be given to language, religion, culture and ethnicity, this isn't translating into practice. It is much better that a child is adopted by loving parents than left waiting for their future to be decided.”[1]

I think it cannot be denied that it is better if a child has adopt and fostered by loving family who are either white adoptive parents or black  and ethnic adopters. The point is that whether they can provide a safe, caring and loving environment to a child. 

However, there is a doubt in some people’s minds is that if adoption has done without consideration on race, it may be imperative to a child's sense of identity to be able to relate to those around them. In the other words, the adoption may add emphasis on difference between them and their parents.

In personal opinion, if it possible to find a racial match, it should be better to seek a child-parent who can share their ethnic and cultural heritage.

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[1] BBC News, ‘No reason' to block mixed-race adoptions in England’

 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11672674> accessed 4 November 2010

CHILD LABOUR ESSAY

According to The International Labour Organisation (ILO), child labour is defined as work that has performed by children under the age of 18. This can harm or restrict a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth.[1] However, The ILO has claimed that not all work performed by children should be categorised as child labour. “Children’s or adolescents’ participation in work that does not affect their health and personal development or interfere with their schooling, is generally regarded as being something positive.”[2]

 

 In today’s world of child labour, “one in six children 5–14 years old in the world, or 158 million children, is involved in child labour. Around 1 in 3 children aged 5–14 in sub-Saharan Africa labours, compared to only 1 in 20 in the CEE/ CIS region.”[3] In order to be effective in combating child labour, there are some solutions that may assist in illuminating abuse and exploitation to child labour is that improving child labour law.[4] Although, many countries have national child labour laws that define a minimum age for work and legislate working conditions, but these laws tend to be only effective in dealing child labour abuses in the formal sector in urban areas. In personal point of view, the purposes of a rights-based approach to child labour which rely on laws seem to be ineffectively for tackling with child labour.

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[1] The International Labor Organisation(ILO), ‘Child Labour’ <http://www.ilo.org/global/Themes/Child_Labour/lang--en/index.htm> accessed 2 November 2010

[2] The International Labor Organisation(ILO), ‘About child labour: Defining child labour’

< http://www.ilo.org/ipec/facts/lang--en/index.htm> accessed 2 November 2010

[3]Unicef, ‘PROGRESS FOR CHILDREN: A WORLD FIT FOR CHILDREN STATISTICAL REVIEW’ <http://www.unicef.org/progressforchildren/2007n6/index_41846.htm> accessed 2 November 2010

[4] Free The Children , ‘Child Labour ‘ <http://www.freethechildren.com/getinvolved/geteducated/childlabour.htm> accessed 2 November 2010

Intellectual Property: Thailand’s Copyright Law

The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has stated that Intellectual Property  has been divided into two categories:  Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs, and geographic indications of source; and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic works such as drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures, and architectural designs.[1]

  …The Thai Copyright Law protects the “expression of idea” by way of giving a set of “exclusive rights” to the copyright owner within a certain “limited period of time.”  9 various copyrighted works protected under the Thai Copyright Law are: literary work which includes computer program; dramatic work; musical work; artistic work; audiovisual work; cinematographic work; sound recording work; broadcasting work and other work which may fall in the literary, scientific or artistic domain. Thai copyright law also gives protection to Performers as well.[2]

Current Issues of Thai Copyright Law

There has a dramatically changed in technology which affects the laws that relate to it. Copyright Law is one of them that have been caused by the advent of technology severely. Internet is a good instance of the advancement. The no boundary internet makes it easier for copying and distributing of millions of contents and works without proper authorization from copyright owners. While some countries adapt and amend their internal copyright laws to keep pace with technology by way of ratifying the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and/or WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).[3]

It can be argued that Thailand’s government and police authorities seem to be consistently under pressure from multinational companies owning registered trademarks, patents and copyrighted works. In my personal view, I think that this situation may result from a lax attitude toward adequate protection of Intellectual Property Rights.

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[1] The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), ‘What is Intellectual Property?’ <http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en> accessed 2 November 2010

[2] Thai entertainment content trade association, ‘Copyright of Thailand <http://www.teca.co.th/index.php/law/35-copyrigh-law/258-copyright-of-thailand-.html> accessed 2 November 2010

[3] Thai entertainment content trade association (n 2)