This year’s Children’s Week (19 to 27 October) is an opportunity to reflect on the sad reality that too many of our children are denied the most fundamental of rights: the right to enjoy their childhood.
Too many of our children are prevented from living a happy, healthy and safe childhood. Vulnerable children and families face serious issues that deny the fulfilment of their basic rights: issues such as poverty, family violence, and a lack of access to decent housing, health and education services.
The theme for this year’s Children’s Week is ‘the right to play’.
Being able to play is a vital aspect of a child’s development and is a specific right under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The convention says that all children have the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to their age and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
Playing is an opportunity to have fun, but also allows children to learn new skills to help with their physical and mental development and creativity. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, participating in cultural activities such as music, dance and story-telling helps them to develop their identity and self-esteem.
The right to play — and to get a good night’s sleep — is featured in a “Child Rights Education Kit” published by SNAICC for this year’s National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day. The kit comprises of eight posters and an accompanying educator’s guide, all featuring beautiful illustrations by Caroline Mudge.
The kit aims to empower early childhood educators (and parents and carers) to teach children up to 8 years of age about their rights — under the UN convention, children also have a right to know about their rights.
SNAICC has also published a Child Rights Report Card that looks at issues identified by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and actions that individuals, communities and governments can take to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of vulnerable children.
SNAICC will continue to lobby governments to highlight the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families and to make the rights and needs of children a priority.
However, individuals, communities and organisations also have a duty to our children to become more aware of children’s basic rights, to teach children of their rights and to do more to ensure these rights are respected and enacted.
Why not use this week as an opportunity to raise awareness in your community and services about children’s rights — use the SNAICC resources to help you out! — and as another opportunity for our children to celebrate their rich cultural heritage.
