Justice as Recognition of Worth

Sor Juana insisted on her right to exist as a thinking being worthy of respect, not merely as a dutiful servant or compliant subject. This concept of justice centers on recognition—the acknowledgment that each person possesses intrinsic dignity deserving respect. For children, recognition of worth means being valued for their existence and emerging selfhood, not instrumentalized for adult goals. Children in many contexts are treated as incomplete projects, future workers, or extensions of parental ambition rather than present beings with inherent dignity. Sor Juana's philosophy demands that children be recognized as thinking subjects capable of reflection and deserving of serious consideration. Applied to children's rights, this means listening to their perspectives, respecting their developing autonomy, and creating institutions that honor their current personhood. Justice requires seeing each child as worthy of protection, education, and freedom not because they might become productive but because they are human now.