The last few months have seen greater progress in the growing recognition of children's rights in this State than for many a long day. First, there was the meeting of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Geneva. At it, the Government agreed to part-finance a campaign to make children and their parents more aware of their rights under the UN Convention, which was ratified by us as long as seven years ago.
However, few people - including many of those dealing directly with children - had even a nodding acquaintance with its contents. Later this year, a poster and information campaign will be mounted throughout the State to raise awareness on the rights of children and to familiarise them with the Convention (see pages 8 and 9 of this supplement). Last week, the ISPCC organised the first of a series of training sessions for children between the ages of eight and 18 from 22 Children's Rights Information Bureaux to help them understand and promote their rights. Within nine months, the young people who undertake this training will start to train their peers and help promote awareness of their rights in everyday places like shopping centres, libraries and schools.
At the weekend, the National Parents' Council (Primary), meeting in Portlaoise, demanded a voice for children in deciding school policy. In particular, the parents' association is concerned about the Education Bill (mark 2), currently going through the Oireachtas, which it claims takes the "weakest possible position on rights and entitlements of children . . . rights are watered down in favour of administrative and financial considerations".
The NPC is also concerned about the proposed new Whole School Evaluation system, which it claims has left parents and parents' associations out in the cold. In particular, the NPC wants to see an independent appeals procedure developed for pupils who experience difficulties in schools; this procedure should be able to examine any complaint which has not been resolved at school level.
NOT THAT this kind of intervention from the NPC
is new. The council (and its national co-ordinator, Fionnuala Kilfeather especially) has been a voice crying, often in the wilderness, for children's rights for a long time.
And that voice is now growing stronger, as is that of children themselves. An interesting side-bar to that Portlaoise conference was a workshop in which 20 children aged from six to 12 years were asked to identify their most important rights. They listed the right to a family, to education, to play and to express their opinions in the classroom "without being cheeky to the teacher".
Surprisingly, Minister Martin made no reference to children's rights when he addressed the conference at the weekend. This Minister usually listens and listens well. And he is not slow to respond.
Maybe he didn't hear those children's voices and their parents in support. Maybe he will listen harder now . . .
Education & Living
Editor: Ella Shanahan Production: Hugh Lambert and Harry Browne Cover illustration: Kevin McSherry Small cover illustrations: Cathy Dineen
Email: education@irish-times.ie
