Children promote Convention artistically

Participation is seen as key to encouraging young people to play an active role in social development, but participation of children in development initiatives have often received only token attention.

To tap this potential, UNICEF Bhutan has started work with a group of school children to promote the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) among other children.

These children are young art enthusiasts attending free art classes at a voluntary art studio run by a local volunteer group. The children were first given basic orientation on the CRC, most importantly on the foundation principles, such as survival, development, protection and participation.

They then expressed and depicted artistically what the foundation principles mean to them in their daily lives. Selected artwork are being adapted into effective advocacy and communication products such as greeting cards.

Similar but bigger art camps are being organized in schools around the country and as part of national level activities in support of the Global Movement for Children.

The selected artwork will eventually be featured in a travelling exhibition in schools throughout the country. The children themselves will take full control of this programme.