§ The right to education is a human right and indispensable for the exercise of other human rights. Quality education aims to ensure the development of a fully-rounded human being. It is one of the most powerful tools in lifting socially excluded children and adults out of poverty and into society.
§ Child rights are human rights that also recognize the special needs for care and protection of minors - children and young people under the age of 18. All children have these rights, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, gender or cultural background. No child should be treated unfairly on any basis.
§ Knowing about children's rights helps teachers to teach about rights, not only as a history or civics lesson but as an integral part of children's daily lives, of their everyday experiences so they can recognize their own rights, exercise them, claim them when they are breached and advocate when the rights of others.
§ A teacher can uphold child rights by encouraging children's participation in matters that affect their lives, building children's capacities to participate effectively, organizing meetings of children with school authorities, and discussing child rights issues with the parents in the PTA meetings.
§ What can teachers do to make sure their students can enjoy this right? What can they do if they realize such a right is not protected in their schools or in their communities? This is just an example of how such knowledge could equip teachers to make decisions and implement practices that consider the ‘best interest’ of their students.
§ Knowing about children’s rights gives teachers the tools to assess whether the rights of every child are being respected not only in their classrooms and schools but also in the larger community.
§ Knowing about children’s rights allows teachers to challenge attitudes and behaviors within the classroom that jeopardizes rights such as the right to safety, the right to not be discriminated against, or the right children have to participate and have their voices heard.
§ Knowing about children’s rights helps teachers to teach about rights, not only as a history or civics lesson but as an integral part of children’s daily lives, of their everyday experiences so they can recognize their own rights, exercise them, claim them when they are breached and advocate when the rights of others are not respected.
§ Knowing about children’s rights empowers teachers to create safe spaces in their classrooms -something that studies show, improves overall performance- but also become advocates and defend their students’ rights.
§ As school teachers, it is very important for you to know the issues around Child Rights; to be sensitive and alert to what is going on in your students’ lives beyond school, and how you can help your students and their families.
§ A child who is physically or psychologically ill-treated is said to be subjected to child abuse. Child abuse can be of four types – neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and, the worst, sexual abuse.
§ Child abuse also includes poor education and health, hazardous employment, early marriage, and discrimination.
§ This course discusses Constitutional and legal provisions in India. It also discusses the UNCPRC. Finally, we have talked about how you as a teacher can remedy the situation.
