Intersectional Barriers to Childhood Rights

Sor Juana experienced the convergence of multiple constraints: she was a woman in a male-dominated intellectual sphere, economically dependent on religious institutions, and navigating colonial hierarchies. This concept applies intersectionality to children's rights, recognizing that a poor girl of color faces different barriers than a wealthy boy. Children's rights cannot be addressed in isolation; they must account for how gender, race, class, disability, and immigration status interact to create compounded vulnerabilities. Following Sor Juana's example, we must examine how systems simultaneously restrict intellectual access, bodily autonomy, and social power for certain children while privileging others. Effective protection of children's rights requires naming these intersections explicitly, ensuring that policies and practices address the specific needs of the most marginalized children. Universal frameworks must bend to accommodate diverse realities, recognizing that justice for all children demands attention to the particular burdens carried by those bearing multiple oppressed identities.