When young people learn about their rights, they usually have an intuitive understanding that they have rights and so do others. Children who have learned about their rights in a ‘rights respecting environment’, compared with those who have not:
● have a more accurate understanding of what it means to have rights and
responsibilities,
● show greater acceptance of children who are different than themselves,
● have better relationships with their classmates and teachers,
● tend to have higher self-esteem,
● are less likely to be victimized and more likely to stand up for others.
Children have the right to know their rights! Educators play an important role in helping children to realize and respect their rights. They can also be used to support strong classroom culture. Also, these activities are engaging and fun!
Foundational Knowledge
● Children’s human rights tell you how you can expect to be treated by others – at
home, at school, in your neighbourhood and when you go to see a doctor or
social worker or attend an important meeting for example. They say what
governments must do to make sure children are treated well and can have a very
good life. They also tell us how we should treat others.
● The United Nations has agreed a very important set of rules about how children
all across the world should be treated. This is called the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It encourages countries to
protect and promote over 40 human rights for children.
● The Convention is important because it includes promises from adults to children, to make sure children have the basic things that they need to thrive and flourish.
These needs are so important that countries across the world have agreed that
they are rights. Rights are universal. They are in our laws and no one can take
them away. Rights exist to help us to be healthy, safe, heard and so that we can
each be ourselves.
● Canada is one of 194 countries that signed up to and agreed to follow the
Convention on the Rights of the Child whenever it is making decisions that affect
children. Since Canada adopted it in 1989, almost all countries have signed up for
it-making it the most ratified human rights convention in the United Nation’s
history. (Fun fact: The US is the only country that has not ratified this agreement).
● The birthday of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is on November
20th. In Canada, we call this World Child Day. It’s a time when young people,
schools, families, and the governments can come together to promote and protect
the rights of children! Lots of organizations celebrate this through Child Rights
Education Week. But you can practice your rights every day – and talk about them
during other important calendar milestones (e.g. Orange Shirt day, Pink Shirt Day,
Rainbow Day). In 2021, children across North America had an opportunity to
share their ideas on a child’s right to a healthy environment with the Phoenix Consultation to support the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Rights and the Environment .
● Discussing child rights can spark important, interesting, and potentially sensitive
conversations amongst students. Be prepared!