Cartoon booklet promotes children’s rights

A pocket-sized booklet outlining children’s rights and responsibilities in cartoon form was this morning launched at the Hattieville Government School. According to National Human Rights Coordinator Maria Gamero, the publication is timely as it coincides with National Children’s Week.

Ann-Marie Williams

“You hear a lot on child’s rights, but you seldom hear of responsibility. Zero in on some of the rights and responsibilities in this little booklet.”

Maria Gamero, National Coordinator, HRCB

“I think one of the basic things that we have to remember on rights, for example, children have the right to be included, whatever their abilities, but it is also our responsibility to teach children that they have the responsibility to respect others for their differences. We are all different, but we have to learn to respect each other.”

“We hope that the teachers would use it everyday and see the reaction of the children. If you go through the booklet, you are going to notice that it does have a cartoon, but the children can also colour. So they will be learning while colouring and the image can have more impact in their minds so that they can remember these things better.”

Gamero says twenty-two schools from all over the country have been chosen for phase one of the project. These schools will be evaluated at the end of the year to see how effective the booklets have been in helping children to know their rights and responsibilities. Copies of the booklet are available free of cost at the HRCB office in Belmopan.