Childrens Rights in Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Childrens Rights in Education - Essay Example Children are a symbol of the continuity of society, and our hope and faith that the world goes on. Though parents and guardians are often seen as role models for children to emulate in society, as they grow up to the realities of the world around them, it is no less important to recognize that children too must have a right to voice their feelings about how they feel, what they want and what they do not prefer in regard to physical, emotional, psychological, educational and mental development. Organizations like the UNICEF, OHCHR and others have promoted the cause of children’s rights through programs like Right to Voice, the Junior 8 Summit, the Children’s Climate Forum and the Right to Know Initiative, covering everything from global climate change to knowledge about AIDS and how to prevent HIV infections. They believe that involving children in these initiatives will not only make them more aware of these important issues but in time turn them into emerging leaders a nd developers in society. Invariably, children’s right to voice will have a visible impact on their right to education and vice versa. Discussion What does the right to voice mean for children? How can we address the rights to voice of the child to be heard? These and related questions will form the basis for this essay. Our children are our leaders of tomorrow and listening to them and giving them a voice in decisions impacting the future of their society will certainly reap dividends by making them aware and more responsible about these issues. It is also important to fight for the rights of the child in closed societies where they are suppressed and controlled through age old hierarchical traditions. The UK and Northern Ireland ratified the United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child on 16 December 1991. This document summarizes no less than 42 tenets that must be followed by every country accepting it; furthermore there is also a responsibility to educate school s, teachers, parents and guardians on these matters (OHCHR, 1990, 1). According to Article 2 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, it is expected that: â€Å"The child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding. The child should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity† (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1990, 1). Unfortunately, due to various social evils prevalent across different parts of the world, there are organized efforts to exploit children in various ways, ranging from child labour to slavery to prostitution. Children’s Rights Laws have been created to deal with cases involving juvenile delinquency, ensuring due process for children involved in the criminal justice system, allocating appropriate representation and effective rehabilit ative services, providing for the care and protection for children under State care and ensuring proper health care advocacy and education for all children regardless of their origin, race, gender, disabilities or abilities. The aim of child rights in education and in the community is meant to ensure a hopeful existence free of violence, exploitation, poverty and neglect as experienced in many underdeveloped nations. It is clear that all children regardless of where they are born in the world have a need for and should be provided access to basic education, health services and support systems that nurture love, hope and encouragement by society. Undoubtedly all these things are required in order for them to experience childhood to the fullest and to eventually develop into