Children on Air for Their Rights

"Let's say you have a rabbit as a pet at home... What does the rabbit need? Let's say it needs water and food... So, is the basic nutrition among the fundamental rights of the rabbit?"

A second question: "At school, you are only allowed to talk in the national language. Children with other languages are being punished when they speak their language, even if they do it while playing. Do you know a right that would erase that punishment?"

These are questions asked to children participating in the educational workshops of the Child Study Unit of Bilgi University (ÇOÇA) in Istanbul.

Graduate students participating in the training program "From the Classroom to the Newsroom" (OHO) visited ÇOÇA on Wednesday (14 July). The research unit started working on 20 November 2007 on the 18^th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. ÇOÇA develops and publishes education models on children's rights in co-operation with the children participating in their programs.

One of the main aims of the research unit is raising awareness for the rights of the child in families and among children. In order to protect those rights, ÇOÇA works on strengthening them. They support the children in the development of their personality and their abilities, developing critical thinking and question skills. They furthermore work on involving children more strongly in political developments related to children and planning mechanisms.

Little ones asking the big ones

One of the ÇOÇA projects is a Children's Rights Radio Program broadcasted on the Community Radio every Saturday from 4.30 to 5.00 pm. The program is made by children aiming to reach adults. Every week, the children ask questions on topics related to adults.

The program has been broadcasted for two years now. Topics that came up in programs broadcasted in 2009 were for example young girls given into marriage, legal process related to detained children on trial, local governments and children, seasonal labour or child abuse.

The "training" program "Box game for young ones" held by ÇOÇA for children aged 10-15 years old deals with rights violations occurring in the children's daily life. The program also works out solutions for the kids.

"My school, my present, my future" documentary

ÇOÇA organizes Children's Rights Festivals on each anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and Environmental days on 5 June. Arts workshops help the children to express what they learned in the educational workshops.

In order to prevent children from dropping out of school, ÇOÇA organized the pilot project "My school, my present, my future" in five provinces. The research unit also prepared a documentary about the project. For the preparation of the documentary, members of the project asked the children "What does school mean for you?" and asked them to explain their answers. The project is planned for the duration of five years and will be extended to ten provinces. (SP/VK)