Human Rights

An advert caught my eye in theipaper last Friday. Surrounding a picture of a pair of hands holding a tablet device bearing the picture of a besuited man holding a baby and a briefcase, was this text:

iDad

Every child deserves one

It's brilliant. In every sense of the word.

iDad is the world's most advanced parenting device and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Having a a father is a human right  www.idad.org.uk www.fathers-4-justice.org

You can see the ad here.

Now I have a soft spot for fathers-for-justice as an organisation. I understand their point. In divorces dads often get a poor deal and I support the aims of those dads who wish simply to have more and better access to their children. I also think their campaigns have been amusing and awareness-raising. This latter one is no exception so full marks so far.

But, and there is a but, I stopped in my tracks at the sentence 'Having a father is a human right.' Doesn't that smell wrong to you? If it was a human right we would make sure everyone had one and in the case of bereavement would insist that a replacement be brought in. How can we go about legislating for that right?

I think everyone deserves the possibility of a good relationship with their father, as long as both parties are willing. I don't think you can call something a right if it takes two people to agree before it can happen.