How I feel young people could be better informed about the convention and child rights and be better empowered to realize their rights - by Moleboheng Tsomole (16 years)The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been a treaty of great stature because it addresses sensitive yet utterly important issues such as basic education for all children, protection of children from violence, exploitation and abuse, improvement of health, nutrition and other key social outcomes. The importance of the realization of children’s rights is a key concern for UNICEF and the South African government, therefore children’s rights advocacy is highly required, more so for the empowerment of the youth. The wise always say’ you can not teach an old dog new tricks’, so it is probably wise to bend the stick whilst it is wet. What is meant by this is that, in order to leave a legacy we should plant the seeds of children’s rights advocacy and protection in young South Africans’ minds, as they will be able to carry it through to the generation that will follow. I have noticed that in order to reach out to the youth, one must have a concept with edge so as to create interest and make learning easier, which is why I conducted a survey at my school, wanting to find effective methods that could be used to reach the youth. The grade 8 learners suggested t-shirt printing. They pointed out that this would grab their attention as they notice fashion statements. Grade 9 learners then suggested books and magazines, as they want to familiarize themselves with reading. Grade 10 learners then suggested graffiti as they feel that art is a form of expression and it should be a medium through which children’s rights are communicated. Grade 11 learners pointed out leaflets and pamphlets. “These sources are short and simple”, they said. Our seniors, the matriculates said there should be a school newspaper, which could publicize children’s rights in a certain section. If you could take a good look at our schools, you would notice that there are things that create a hostile and unsafe environment. Sometimes it is the learners who turn our schools into war zones and as a result, violate the right to a safe and protected environment for all learners. The question is: what is it that makes these learners behave like complete hooligans? We first have to identify the genesis of the matter before we can even think of a way to put an end to it. In some cases, parents deprive their children of the rights to personal privacy, freedom of religion, belief and opinion as well as freedom of association. I have noticed that problems, which schools come across, are those that arise at home. Well, charity also begins at home, therefore, it is imperative that parents stand up and face the responsibility to teach us our rights and responsibilities from childhood. The Sexual Offences Act clearly states that children should be protected from acts of violence such as sexual assault and or rape. How exactly are we to know, who and what we ought to be protected from if there is no one making us aware? In some cases, children too, deprive themselves of given rights by ignoring certain responsibilities. Such could be of choosing leadership. It is quite rare to find learners who elect people who will uplift and empower them by making their voices heard and making informed decisions. My point is that parents, schools and learners themselves have failed to advocate and protect children’s rights. Representatives and leadership councils within schools should take initiative in terms of publicizing rights of the child as it is their responsibility to see to the smooth running of the school and communities and implementation of new programmes. They should put in practice, team building and children’s rights conferences that that will help with children’s rights advocacy and protection, not only in South Africa, but around the globe also. I believe that such conferences will help with the development of different mindsets compared to the stereotypical mindsets we come across. We should leave a mark in history through thorough understanding of the rights of the child. In conclusion to this matter, I believe that our country should use the winning method of the eye. What I mean is that once there is a disturbance, the eyelid shuts itself and protects the eye. If our government was to initiate this method by acting as an eyelid of children’s rights, advocacy of the rights of the child would be a succeeding concept and the youth of this country would be empowered.
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