Are Children and Youth “Right” in Animated Movies?

Abstract

Animated movies guide children, help them recognise issues and adopt positive behaviours. How do animated movies convey messages about children’s rights and their violations? We conducted an inductive content analysis of 23 animated movies for children to answer this question. The movies were analysed regarding gender balance, self-awareness representations of children’s rights, children’s rights made visible and representations of violations of children’s rights. The results show that the movies focus on relationships and individual development. The movies also convey messages about the right to dream, play, have fun and grow up in a peaceful family environment. On the other hand, the movies convey messages about violating the prohibition of discrimination against the right to gender equality. The movies associate girls with housework and marriage while portraying boys as powerful villains. In addition, the movies contain some messages that violate the right to grow up in a peaceful family environment and be protected from mistreatment, neglect and abuse. The young protagonists in the movies generally do not have families. Those with families generally have only a mother or a father. Children with parents also have negative behaviours, such as substance abuse, violence and making money off of children.