Child Rights
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
This Collaborative Digital Story is about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This has been ratified by every member of the UN except the US and Somalia. You can read the Convention here. Members of our Digital Storytelling class chose Articles from the Convention that were personally important to them, and wrote a little about them. Then some of the team members chose images to go with their writing. Allissa, Alexanndria, and Keegan contributed writing and images to this Collaborative Digital Story, and Paula organized their contributions.
Keegan wrote about Articles 2 and 6: Article 2 states that the rights outlined in the entire convention apply to all children, allowing no discrimination based on the child or their guardian's race, religion, ethnicity, sex, gender, spoken language, social standing, or disability. It also requires the nations of the UN to do everything in their power to protect those rights from said discrimination. Article 6 makes it clear that all children have a right to life, and that nations must do everything in their power to help children survive. A notable interaction between these two articles is the affirmation that children must be given any and all chances to survive, even if they or their family live in poverty and/or with one or more disabilities. Their right to life is unconditional, no matter their circumstances, which is very important. There is no justification for preventable death of any child.
Alexanndria wrote about Article 7and Article 8: of the UN Child Rights Convention. Article 7: 1. The child shall be registered immediately after birth and shall have the right from birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and. as far as possible, the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents. 2. States Parties shall ensure the implementation of these rights in accordance with their national law and their obligations under the relevant international instruments in this field, in particular where the child would otherwise be stateless. In short, this means that every child has the right to documentation. This means being given a name and a a social security number, in other words a chance at life and becoming a part of society.
Image from Alexanndria for Article 7, the right for the child to have an identity
Alexanndria also wrote about Article 8: Children have the right to be cared for by their parents and if this is not the case, the government has the right to intervene to ensure the safety and good health of the child. It is the job of both the parents the government of the state they were born in to ensure children have the right to these things. I believe these articles are giving a newborn child the right to become a functioning part of society and a chance to live a fulfilling life.
Allissa wrote about Article 13 and she provided the image below, the image with the quote from the Dalai Lama on the last page, and the image of the world and the children at the beginning of this Digital Story. Under Article 13 of the convention it states that a child shall have the right to freedom of expression. This inherently means that the child shall not be restricted from creative thought, no matter what avenue they might take to pursue their individual spirit, whether it is spoken word, via media, through the published word, or on a blank canvas. That said, there are exceptions to the rule (as always), but they are put in place so as to avoid utter chaos. Basically, one should not bite the hand it is being fed with, but if you do, expect that there will be consequences for your actions.
Here, Allissa tells us what freedom of expression and consequences mean to her. Under Article 13 of the convention it states that a child shall have the right to freedom of expression. This inherently means that the child shall not be restricted from creative thought, no matter what avenue they might take to pursue their individual spirit, whether it is spoken word, via media, through the published word, or on a blank canvas. That said, there are exceptions to the rule (as always), which have been put in place so as to avoid utter chaos. For example, if a group of people decide to hold a protest, that is their right; however, with such privilege comes responsibility, and if the protest becomes unmanageable, and/or people are in danger of physical harm, then the law can intervene. It is not so much what you say as how you say it, and what was once a peaceful demonstration can easily turn sour once emotions become heated. Basically, one should not bite the hand it is being fed with, but if you do, expect that there will be consequences for your actions, such as finding yourself under arrest and paying a hefty fine for possible property damage. Let the world know what you think, what you feel, but know that with every action there is a reaction.
Knowledge is power; respect is paramount.