THE LEGAL STATUS OF MINORS AND INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PROTECTION MECHANISMS

The article analyzes the system of international protection of the rights and interests of minors as an integral part of the field of human rights. The historical, social, and legal foundations of the development of the international legal institution of children's rights are clarified. The stages of the evolution of the international human rights protection system since 1945 are examined, particularly the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenants, and their connection to children's rights. The processes of specification and specialization of international human rights instruments since the 1980s are analyzed, along with the content and significance of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 2000 Optional Protocol, and the 1993 Hague Convention. Furthermore, the role of institutional mechanisms in the international human rights protection system, their effectiveness, and the process of improvement are studied.