Introduction
Introduction:
What do you think of when you hear the word conflict? Perhaps a disagreement with your brother or sister, or a fight on the playground at school? For thousands of children in the world, the word conflict means war.
Today for example we turn on our televisions we see children in parts of the world such as in the Middle East being maimed and slaugtered and even participating in carrying out barbarrick killings. Adults and children at war.
War or conflict in an area can mean that while children are forced to fight, they do not get the food, shelter and medical care that they need to survive. Their liberties are deprived and it means that their education is disrupted, they are separated from their families and friends. For some it means being forced to be a soldier when they are as young as 7 years old and have not even developed understanding of conflict.
The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child protects the rights of children. Almost every country in the world, including Australia, has signed the convention, yet children continue to suffer.
As a signatory to the Convention, Australia has a responsibility to help protect children, at home in Australia and around the world. What can Australia do to improve the lives of children so tragically affected by events over which they have no control when the children are fighting internationally?
Task
Description:
Around the world today, children are not only the victims of war, or were victims of war, but also the participants of wars. At any one time, more than 250,000 girls and boys under the age of 18 are fighting in armed conflicts. A quarter of a million children. Sadly these young soldiers are part of government forces and armed opposition groups in more than 30 locations worldwide and meanwhile many child soldiers are only aged between the ages of 15 and 18, but there are children as young as 7 years old.
Throughout this WebQuest you will find all the resources you need to develop a response to these questions:
What should be done about child soldiers?
How are we universally protecting and enforcing human rights in terms of child soldiers?
How should we adapt and change our responses through communities?
Students will be exposed to different points of view and are highly encouraged in communicating their position through researching, opinions and demonstrating understanding. Write about the recommendation(s) you feel are most appropriate using BOSTES glossary. Also include through your research; excel spreadsheets demonstrating your understanding towards children being forced into combat.
Time Required:
Wednesday 14th of December, 2016 during period 5 and 6
Thursday 15th of December, 2016 during period 1 and 2
Process
Teaching Process:
Direct students to the Child Soldiers Webquest:
https://www.createwebquest.com/webquest/child-soldiers
Follow the seven steps outlined by the webquest:
1. Setting Age Limits
2. Exploring Children's Human Rights
3. Choosing countries
4. Researching why Child Soldiers are Used
5. Developing a Policy
6. Conducting a Legislative Assembly
7. Taking Action - be political
Evaluation
Conclusion
Conclusion:
It’s all right for us to say what others should do about an issue, or to leave it to the government. However, more importantly we should consider what we should be doing as individuals to make a difference? Are there changes that we can make in our lives and what are they, or are there ways that we can help? Do we really want to live in a world full of hatred and violence with our children or childs rights being violated?
IGO's and NGO are involved in what they can do, but are they doing enough?
It is time for you as a student, a citizen to speak up and be counted, as you are important and you are also the future.
Credits
Information Sources:
Sources :
Overview of how conflict affects the world’s children, from BBC International:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/features/childrensrights/childrenofconflict/
CIDA’s Youth Zone has a wealth of information on issues affecting children. Select Development Topics for more information, especially on War-Affected Children and Child Soldiers.
http://www.international.gc.ca/international/index.aspx?lang=eng#
UNICEF’s summary of human rights issues, many of which relate to children of conflict:
http://www.unicef.org
Free the Children’s War-Affected Children summarises problems facing children in areas of conflict:
Amnesty International’s Child Soldiers summarizes how this issue affects human rights:
https://www.amnesty.org.au/
UNICEF’s Information by Country summarises the issues facing children around the world. Select the country/area that you are researching:
https://www.unicef.org/where-we-work
UNICEF’s Reaching the Vulnerable summarises actions needed to improve the lives of children in crisis areas:
http://www.unicef.org/emerg/index_3739.html
The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers was formed by a group of major non-governmental agencies wanting to take action on this issue. Their Regions page links you to information fact sheets by country and region:
https://www.child-soldiers.org/
Be the Change - How you can take action to make a difference to the world’s children:
Australian Youth. Link to the Youth Zone and select How to get involved, or Global Youth Ambassadors.
https://unyouth.org.au/
UNICEF’s Voices of Youth empowers youth to take action locally and globally:
Free the Children: Children Helping Children Through Education, founded by Canadian Craig Kielburger.