International Parenting and Child Protection Matters Beyond the Specific Issue of Parental Child Abduction: The 1996 Hague Convention on the International Protection of Children ¹

The globalisation of the economy and the increasing ease of travel have led to the internationalisation of families. Bi-national couples and families relocating from one country to another are now commonplace. The international element of family life often leads to complex legal situations – such as international parental abduction – when these families are facing a crisis. However, the scope of legal issues arising from the internationalisation of families and affecting children is wider than the abduction problem and can relate to relocation, access rights, urgent protection measures or transborder placement, to name only a few. This paper aims to present the 1996 Hague Convention on the International Protection of Children which establishes a comprehensive framework ensuring the effectiveness of the rights of children involved in a crossborder situation.