Algeria’s Reservations to the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child: Between International Commitments and National Legal Specificity

Abstract

This article aims to analyse Algeria's obligations arising from its ratification of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, with a focus on the nature of the reservations it expressed regarding certain of its provisions. The central issue lies in Algeria's ability to reconcile the requirements of international legitimacy with the imperatives of its constitutional and legislative system, which is grounded in Islamic jurisprudential references. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical method, supported by legal comparison, to identify points of convergence and divergence. The findings indicate that the reservations primarily concern freedom of belief and expression as well as the protection of privacy. The study further highlights that Algeria reinforced its national legal framework with specific protection for children through the 2015 legislation. It concludes that harmonising international commitments with national particularity remains a problematic matter requiring ongoing legislative reform.