Participation

The teacher writes the word "rights" on the board and asks the class to list their rights. After compiling the list, the teacher asks:

Where are the rights of boys and girls documented?

The rights of boys and girls are outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), adopted by the UN General Assembly on November 20, 1989. A simplified version is available on the Save the Children website (link). 

This activity is conducted in two groups. The teacher prints and cuts the articles below in half (additional articles may be included if desired). Each group receives one half of an article, and the objective is to find the person who has the matching half in the shortest time.

Art. 12 You have the right to express your opinion on all matters that concern you. Your opinion must be heard and taken seriously.

Art. 13 You have the right to be informed and to express yourself freely in the way that suits you best (verbally, in writing, etc.), always respecting the rights of others.

Art. 14 You have the right to have your own ideas and to profess the religion of your choice under the guidance of your parents.

Art.15 You have the right to get together with your friends, to join or form associations, always respecting the rights of others.

Art. 16 You have the right to have your own private life, including within your family, including the right to have your own private correspondence.

Art.17 You have the right to receive information from all over the world, through the media (radio, newspapers, television) and to be protected from harmful material and information

Art. 23 If you are mentally or physically disabled, you have the right to special assistance, in order to become independent and to participate fully in social life.

Art. 24 You have the right to health, medical care and to receive all necessary information to guarantee this right.

Art. 31 You have the right to rest, leisure, to play and to participate in cultural activities (e.g. music, theatre and sports).

After the game, each pair reads their article aloud. The teacher highlights that participation is a crucial concept in the CRC, with an entire article (Article 12) dedicated to it.

The teacher then asks:

In an emergency, how would you like this right to be practiced?

To prompt discussion, the teacher introduces the following scenario:

John lives with his family in a camp established after an earthquake Sudden ground shaking resulting from movements of the earth’s crust . He and the other children in the camp face disruptions in their lives and routines.

Using the reassembled articles, each pair must devise strategies to ensure that the rights in their assigned articles are upheld during the emergency.

Finally, each pair presents their strategies. The teacher facilitates a comparison with other pairs to explore whether multiple rights can be safeguarded through the same strategies (hint for the teacher: participation can be a common theme in many strategies).

The teacher can engage the class in a discussion about how the right to participation can be ensured not only during emergencies but also in daily life. They can explore how everyone can contribute to respecting others' rights (e.g., by avoiding discrimination against a disabled peer or someone practicing a different religion).

Final reflections can be compiled into a "Class CRC" and displayed on a poster in the classroom.