The parents of an ailing, 23-month-old British boy have no say in the treatment of their child because of a United Nations agreement signed by the United Kingdom and every other nation on earth, except the United States.
First enacted in 1990, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child seeks to grant rights to children at the expense of parents. Combined with a government-run health care system, we get the nightmare playing out for the parents of Alfie Evans.
“It’s a lethal combination of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and state universal health care. In Britain, the hospital has been paying the cost of taking care of Alfie (since late 2016),” said Alison Centofante, director of communications strategies for the pro-life group Live Action.
“Because the UK has signed on to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, (Alfie’s parents, Tom Evans and Kate James) do not have the right to demand care for their child. That is given over to the state,” she added.
“His parents don’t have any opportunity to protect his best interests. The state is doing that, and the state has determined in their courts that the best interests of Alfie are served by him dying, not by him having an opportunity to live,” continued Centofante.
Because of the UN agreement, even European institutions are powerless.
“Even when the European Court of Human Rights heard about Alfie, they’ve refused to intervene because the EU recognizes the Convention of the Rights of the Child,” said Centofante.
“He’s essentially being held captive at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool,” said Centofante, noting that Alfie is barred from going to Italy for treatment despite receiving Italian citizenship and a medical helicopter standing by to transport him.
“Unfortunately, there are policemen outside Alder Hey Hospital, ensuring that Alfie and his parents do not leave that hospital,” said Centofante.
Centofante says even efforts to let Alfie go home are being rejected. Reports from the UK suggest officials are demanding a “sea change” in attitude from Alfie’s parents towards the system.
The hospital removed Alfie’s ventilator on Monday, anticipating he would die within hours. Instead, he is breathing on his own three days later and responding to his mom and dad, despite the hospital intially denying him food or water for 28 hours. Centofante says eventually some hydration and oxygen were provided.
Alfie’s survival provides evidence for another major frustration for his parents.
“His father said, ‘This is not a miracle. This is a misdiagnosis.’ This couple wasn’t even able to have a second opinion, which they craved for,” said Centofante.
There are examples of hospitals and doctors effectively forbidding contact between parents and child patients here in the U.S. but Centofante says our nation’s refusal to sign the UN convention is a huge win for American moms and dads.
“Every nation in the world has signed on to the Convention of the Rights of the Child except the United States. The United States is a different system, thankfully. We recognize constitutionally-protected parental rights that allow us to direct the upbringing of children,” said Centofante.
And she insists that is the best system for cherishing life at every stage and this “dark moment” ought to make some truths even clearer.
“One, that the life of every child is worth protecting, that there is innate human dignity even for those who are the least of these. Maybe their future isn’t as bright or as full of opportunity as the rest of us, but that child has unique DNA and dignity that is worth protecting in law and in culture,” said Centofante.
