Rory Rights
Rory is the ultimate protector of children’s rights. He listens well and is keen to help children speak up and have their voices heard. He works with all the rest of the Super Six to make sure that children have good family lives, healthcare, play facilities, a good education and have their leisure and cultural needs met. He is a protector of rights and works to ensure that children in Northern Ireland grow up in a peaceful society, free from fear. Rory works hard to make sure children learn to respect others and to take responsibility for their actions and decisions.
Information
Northern Ireland has taken a fresh look at the issues of human rights and equality.
The Human Rights Act 1998 has added a further dimension by making the rights and freedoms in the European Convention on Human Rights enforceable in our own courts. It is within this context that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child takes its place. It focuses on the protection of children's rights, balancing the welfare of the child with their right to participate in decisions which affect them.
There is a recognised need for special mechanisms to be put in place in order to represent the needs of children and to guarantee their voices are heard. This is the primary aim of the Commissioner for Children and Young People.
Ideas for activities
- Ask the children to express what makes them happy or sad about their lives
- Right to...cards (PDF 26 KB)
- These 'right to cards' have been produced using The UN Convention on Human Rights and the suggestions of young people. Facilitators may wish to choose to use these or to select other subjects that are of relevance to particular groups.
- Split your group in two, giving each a set of the 'Right to…' cards.
- Give them 10 minutes to place the rights in order of importance. It is a goodidea to give a card to each person so that none are overlooked. The debate that ensues should stimulate some awareness of rights. Now that everyone is aware of their rights, this may be an ideal opportunity to prompt a discussion on what the children view as their responsibilities in society.
- Ask the children to brainstorm words, which describe how they think they are perceived in society and on a separate page to suggest how they would like to be viewed. Challenge them to find ways to move from current perceptions to new perceptions. Ask them to identify people and organisations that can help them to achieve this.
- Ask them to describe times when they felt their rights had been violated and how they reacted.
