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7 Int'l J. Child. Rts. 171 (1999)
The Impact of Children's Rights Education: A Canadian Study

handle is hein.journals/intjchrb7 and id is 181 raw text is: LA The International Journal of Children's Rights 7: 171 183, 1999. 171 FOR C 1999 Kluwer Law International. Printed in the Netherlands. The impact of children's rights education: A Canadian study KATHERINE COVELL and R. BRIAN HOWE Children's Rights Center University College of Cape Breton, Canada BIP 6L2 Children's rights education in Canada is important not only for legal reasons but also for its potential in increasing rights-respecting attitudes and behavi- ours. Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, like all signatories, Canada is obligated legally to take measures to increase public awareness of children's rights as described in the Convention. According to Article 42 of the Convention, state parties are to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike (Multiculturalism and Citizenship Canada 1991). A key means to make children aware of the Convention (and indirectly adults) is through education in Canadian schools. However, apart from indi- vidual schools, this has not been done systematically. In reviewing Canada's 1994 report, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child noted this short- coming and recommended that Canada increase public awareness of the Convention by incorporating the rights of the Convention into the school curricula... (United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child 1995). Apart from Canada's legal obligations, children's rights education is important for another reason. It has the potential for increasing favourable human rights attitudes and behaviours. In a 1993-94 study by Decoene and De Cock in Bruges, Belgium, a linkage was found between exposure of children to a children's rights education programme and increased support for the general values of rights, tolerance, and multiculturalism (Decoene and De Cock 1996). During the course of learning about their rights over a school year, a group of children ages 3 to 12 spontaneously asked questions and raised issues concerning not only their own rights but also the rights of others, the value of tolerance, and respect for diversity. Decoene and De Cock (1996) reported that the participating children displayed considerable sensi- tivity to the general themes of peace and justice, and that their teachers noted among them increased behavioural acceptance of other children and mutual respect. What the study suggests is a contagion effect. When children feel empowered through learning about their own rights, they become more aware of and more supportive of the rights of others.

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