 The following slides were presented to parents in school to give them an overview of Children’s Rights and help enhance their understanding of the Rights Respecting School Award.  Some of the information is from the Education Scotland Website.

 When something is called a right, it means that nobody can take it away from you. It is yours, it protects you, and helps you to have a good life.  Rights are a list of promises to children and young people to keep us safe.  Rights are to make sure that children are treated fairly and looked after properly.  (Tam Baillie is Scotland’s commissioner for children and young people.)

 Participation and education  While Article 12 of the UNCRC says that children and young people should be able to express their views freely in all matters that affect them, this is too often not the case in Scotland. Lots of work still needs to be done to make sure that children and young people are aware of their rights, and that people working closely with them know the best ways to make sure their views and voices are heard.

 Nearly every country in the world has agreed to make sure children’s rights are protected by signing up to a document called the UNCRC. The UK government has done this, and so must make sure that children’s rights are protected. The Scottish government must protect them, too.a document called the UNCRC  The Convention changed the way children are viewed and treated – as human beings with a distinct set of rights.  These rights describe what a child needs to survive, grow, and live up to their potential in the world. They apply equally to every child, no matter who they are or where they come from.

 The Convention has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and set out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to.  It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights. The Convention must be seen as a whole: all the rights are linked and no right is more important that another.

 Unicef is the only organisation working for children recognised by the Convention.  The UNCRC is the basis of all of Unicef's work. It is the most complete statement of children’s rights ever produced and is the most widely- ratified international human rights treaty in history.Unicef's work

 The need to protect children is not merely a historical issue; the need to protect and promote children’s rights continues today. Note the continued work of Save the Children.  Article 24: right to the best health-care possible (including clean drinking-water).  Save the Children Advert used with permission. 7 Article 24

 Ongoing need to protect and promote children’s rights internationally.  Article 6 – right to life and development.  Save the Children Advert used with permission.

9 There are 3.5 million children living in poverty in the UK today. That’s 27 per cent of children, or more than one in four. cpag.org.uk Article 26 Ongoing need to protect and promote children’s rights nationally (UK). Article 26: the state should make sure there is enough money to look after you.

10 UNCRC UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Map shared by L.tak on Wikipedia (CC)

 RRSA stands for Rights Respecting School Award.  It is run by Unicef and encourages schools to learn about the UNCRC by working towards an accreditation.  We have made Class Charters and displays around the school about the articles in the UNCRC.

 We have been working on the RRSA since August We have achieved our Recognition of Commitment and are currently working towards Level 1. Mark the Lion is our Rights Mascot.

UNCRC: The Foundation of Getting it Right for Every Child 13