Ensuring the Best Interests and Safety of Children: International Standards and Practice in Russia

The notion «best interests of the child» is one of the general principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but there is no clear definition of it. The author shows that the interpretation of this concept by international organizations prioritizes the freedom of the individual and «free society» as its necessary condition. With certain reservations regarding the concept of sustainable development, this statement applies to the emerging international concept of child safety. At the same time, the Russian Federation largely retains traditional approaches based on the concept of the priority of the public over the private and the existence of an ideal image of a person in society, which undoubtedly limits the scope of application of the concept of “the best interests of the child” and provides a different priority order. The concept of child and childhood safety is being developed in Russia «from particular to general» as topical problems are identified.