2009 – a good year to develop human rights-based education!

2009 – a good year to develop human rights-based education!

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRoC) – the landmark treaty spelling out the human rights of children and the responsibilities of ‘duty-bearers’ such as schools. As a party to UNCRoC since 1993, New Zealand state agencies are required to:

• Have “the best interests of the child” as “a primary consideration” in “all actions concerning children”.
• Honour the right of each child “to express... views freely in all matters affecting the child”, with those views “being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child”.
• Direct education to “development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential” and to “preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society”, including development of respect for others and human rights.
• “Make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike”.

Please feel free to contact HRiE for ideas on school activities to commemorate UNCROC's anniversary.