Learn
Resources and tips for how you can help children learn about their rights.
Taking action on child rights
The Child Rights Schools programme is a ‘whole school approach’ to Child Rights Education that embeds respect for rights throughout the school on an everyday basis.
Children are supported to become active participants in learning and in school decision-making.
Schools are supported to recognise children as rights holders and to further realise child rights in the whole school environment.
Children are supported to become active participants in learning and in school decision-making.
Schools are supported to recognise children as rights holders and to further realise child rights in the whole school environment.
The Journey
The journey involves children, teachers, non-teaching staff, and parents/carers, who work together to analyse how rights-respecting their schools are currently. They then collectively take action to improve the situation.
UNICEF provides flexible guidance, resources, and training for staff and student councils. It takes three years to become a Child Rights School. There are no fees to participate in the programme.
If you are a member of a school's staff (including caretakers, boards of management, administration, school leadership, and teachers), we invite you to take part in summer courses, short online modules, live webinars, or in-person workshops. Find out more and register here. You can learn more about child rights here.
Share, support and celebrate.
We also invite you to collaborate with other schools, and to organise an annual School Rights Day of celebration within your school. You can even invite a UNICEF representative along to share your progress. Email Aibhlin O'Leary on [email protected] for more information.
UNICEF provides flexible guidance, resources, and training for staff and student councils. It takes three years to become a Child Rights School. There are no fees to participate in the programme.
If you are a member of a school's staff (including caretakers, boards of management, administration, school leadership, and teachers), we invite you to take part in summer courses, short online modules, live webinars, or in-person workshops. Find out more and register here. You can learn more about child rights here.
Share, support and celebrate.
We also invite you to collaborate with other schools, and to organise an annual School Rights Day of celebration within your school. You can even invite a UNICEF representative along to share your progress. Email Aibhlin O'Leary on [email protected] for more information.
For children: a magazine filled with fun tasks
A fun, colourful magazine for children that uses comics, games, and stories – making teaching them about their rights exciting and easy to understand.
For educators: all the information you need.
Your guide to becoming a Child Rights School — what it means, how it works, and the steps you need to take.
Student Council resources – Rights Detectives
Every child has the right to be heard and express their views on matters that affect them — and schools can support their students to make that happen.
Active Student Councils can lead the way in making your school more rights-respecting by consulting with students and staff, celebrating what’s working well, and identifying areas for improvement.
Active Student Councils can lead the way in making your school more rights-respecting by consulting with students and staff, celebrating what’s working well, and identifying areas for improvement.
The rights ribbon
Becoming a Gold Child Rights School takes time — usually around three years — but the journey is what matters most. Use the Rights Ribbon to plan your school’s path:
Choose one activity from each theme at the start of the year.
You don’t have to do them all — feel free to add your own ideas!
Download a poster of the Rights Ribbon here
Download a poster of the Activities for the Rights Ribbon here.
Participate
Tasks to help children be able to participate in their rights education.
Enjoy
Fun activities children can enjoy on the the Rights Ribbon journey.