儿童最大利益原则的司法适用难题及其破解——从查理·加德案和阿尔菲·埃文斯案说起

The Solution to the Problem of the Judicial Application of the Principle of the Best Interests of Child——From the Cases of Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans

在涉及儿童权利保护的疑难案件中,儿童最大利益原则是法院进行判决的基本价值指引。但是“儿童最大利益”内涵的模糊性与判断标准的不确定性导致该原则在司法适用中不断引发争议和批评。破解儿童最大利益原则的司法适用难题,可参考联合国儿童权利委员会第14号一般性意见提供的思路,在尊重儿童作为权利持有者的独立主体地位的基础上,根据个案的具体情况审慎查明并理性权衡儿童最大利益评判所涉要素及其比重,并严格落实儿童最大利益的程序性保障,以实现对儿童权利的全面保护。

The principle of the best interests of child is the basic value guidance for the court to make judgements in difficult cases concerning the protection of children’s rights.However,due to the fuzziness of the connotation of the“best interests of child”and the uncertainty of the judgement standard,this principle has been constantly controversial and criticized in the judicial application process.In order to solve the problem of judicial application of the principle of the best interests of the child,we can refer to the General Comment No.14 of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.Then we should respect the independent status of children as rights holders,carefully identify and rationally weigh the factors involved in the judgement of the best interests of child and their proportion according to the specific circumstances of each case,and strictly implement the procedural protection of the best interests of child to realize the comprehensive protection of children’s rights.