St. Patrick’s and St. Brigid’s P.S.  joins Outright and speaks out on children’s rights with Unicef UK

On the 20^th November pupils at St. Patrick’s and St. Brigid’s P.S, Ballycastle will be taking part in Outright – a nationwide celebration of child rights. St. Patrick’s and St. Brigid’s P.S. is one of hundreds of Unicef UK Rights Respecting Schools across the country to be speaking out on children’s rights and will join the celebration by holding a special assembly about the UNCRC.  The P7 children will also be writing letters to the office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to encourage them to support children’s rights at home and worldwide.  The children will personalise these letters by voicing their support for the campaign to save their local hospital, Dalriada, faced with imminent closure. 

20^th November 2014 marks the 25^th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In 1989 the global community made a set of commitments to children when it adopted the convention, which states that all children have one thing in common – their rights.

As a champion of the convention, Unicef, the world’s leading children’s organisation works to protect and promote the rights of every child. Unicef works to empower children to be the best they can be in a society that reflects and respects their rights. Outright celebrates the role the convention plays in helping to achieve this.

The rights included in the convention describe what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential. They apply equally to every child, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

Mr. Eamonn Magee, Principal said “As a Rights Respecting school children’s rights are very important to us.  We teach our children to understand how their rights are linked to their responsibilities and one of their responsibilities is to speak out for others globally and to campaign on issues they feel are important.  We are proud that our children feel the need to protest at the closure of the Dalriada hospital and understand that medical care is a right.”

Alongside Unicef UK, hundreds of Rights Respecting Schools around the country will be celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and speaking out about why children’s rights are so important.

The pupils in St. Patrick’s and St. Brigid’s P.S. have worked hard to achieve their Rights Respecting school Level 2 status and are delighted to be a part of this important nationwide campaign.

Anita Tiessen, Unicef UK deputy executive director, said

“We are delighted that schools up and down the country are joining us in speaking out about children’s rights. We hope that the people children are talking to – their ministers for children’s rights, their local community and their digital community- listen to their message.”

Children in participating schools will take part in activities such as writing to the children’s minister, taking part in lots of crafty-activism, and talking directly with Unicef UK staff during a live Twitter Q&A session.