Vocabulary

Dignity is the state or quality of being worthy of esteem or respect.
Fundamental Rights are a generally regarded set of legal protections in the context of a legal system, wherein such a system is itself based upon this same set of basic, fundamental, or inalienable rights. 
Life is the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death. It also includes the existence of an individual human being or animal.
Protection is the state of keeping someone or something safe from harm or injury. 
Universal is of, affecting, or done by all people or things in the world or in a particular group and is applicable to all cases.
Well-being is the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy.

Purpose - 
Protection Rights

Picture
The right to life is a universal right for all human beings. Because it is a fundamental right, it governs all other existing rights. Other fundamental rights exist only when the right to life exists. For children, the right to life includes always acting in the best interest of the child so that all children are protected against exploitation, abuse, and neglect. The right to life requires that all children be protected so as to ensure their immediate and future well-being.  In this sub-unit, children analyze the value of the protection rights in respecting the right of every child to a dignified life. 
Child Asks: How do protection rights respect my right to life?
Children's Rights Education enables the child to analyze the value of protection rights in respecting the right to a life of dignity.
Child Answers: Protection rights fulfil my need to a life of dignity.

Classroom Learning Activities

1. Protection Rights 
Use this material to review and expand on the Convention's Protection Rights including: Love & Care, Work, Special Needs, and Peace. This material is available for purchase here.
Material Includes:
  • 15 rights image cards 
  • 15 rights text cards
  • 15 quotes cards
  • 15 individual rights labels
  • 3 general category cards: Provision, Protection, and Participation
  • Large Convention on the Rights of the Child title
Presentation Method:
  • Present image cards to a group of children - ask them to describe what they see
  • Read rights text cards one-at-a-time and children match them up to the image cards
  • Do the same with the quote cards
  • Children label the right and image cards
  • Then they categorize the rights into the 3 category groups
  • Discuss the rationale for their decisions
  • Discuss what responsibilities might come with the rights they are entitled to

Relevant Convention Articles

Article 1
For the purposes of the present Convention, a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier.
Article 3
1. In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration.
2. States Parties undertake to ensure the child such protection and care as is necessary for his or her well-being, taking into account the rights and duties of his or her parents, legal guardians, or other individuals legally responsible for him or her, and, to this end, shall take all appropriate legislative and administrative measures.
3. States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety, health, in the number and suitability of their staff, as well as competent supervision.
Article 6
1. States Parties recognize that every child has the inherent right to life.
2. States Parties shall ensure to the maximum extent possible the survival and development of the child.
Article 32
1. States Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.
2. States Parties shall take legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to ensure the implementation of the present article. To this end, and having regard to the relevant provisions of other international instruments, States Parties shall in particular:
(a) Provide for a minimum age or minimum ages for admission to employment;
(b) Provide for appropriate regulation of the hours and conditions of employment;
(c) Provide for appropriate penalties or other sanctions to ensure the effective enforcement of the present article.
Article 33
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislative, administrative, social and educational measures, to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as defined in the relevant international treaties, and to prevent the use of children in the illicit production and trafficking of such substances.
Article 34
States Parties undertake to protect the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. For these purposes, States Parties shall in particular take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent:
(a) The inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity;
(b) The exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices;
(c) The exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials.
Article 35
States Parties shall take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent the abduction of, the sale of or traffic in children for any purpose or in any form.
Article 36
States Parties shall protect the child against all other forms of exploitation prejudicial to any aspects of the child's welfare.

Online Resources and References