How's life? We're glad that you are going to work on this project. Here's a way you can get started, and you'll probably have lots of other good ideas, yourself.
Think about how you can get a group of kids together. Maybe a Social Studies Class? An afterschool group? A school assembly? A meeting at your local library or community center, etc. etc.?
Plan what you'd like to do at the meeting. Many kids have done it this
way:
Play some kind of game to break the ice. (You probably know some already.
Or we can tell you some. Or you can find some in game books in your library.)
Start by introducing yourselves to one another or if you already know each other, each person can tell the group one thing he or she thinks is essential to live a good life.
Talk about what kids want and what they really need. Are needs and wants always the same? Rollerblades are a want. Fashionable clothes are a want. Food is a need. A movie is a want. A house to live in is a need. Love and care is a need. Wants aren't necessarily bad but all kids have to get their needs met. That's not happening today in any country of the world.
Show a video. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is very powerful for kids 12 and over. For kids under 12, you might want to use That's Right. You can buy a new copy from the US committee for UNICEF at (212) 686-5522 or we'll make you a copy of ours and send it to you. ($8.00 will cover the cost)
After the video is over, (about 20 minutes) give kids the chance to talk about what they think about what they've seen. There are no right or wrong answers. It's just everybody's ideas and a good way to get talking about children's rights. Try to see that everybody gets a chance to talk, and that there are no 'put downs.' Each person's thoughts get heard.
Share copies of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We can send you some and try to copy more so that every person can get a copy.
Spend a little time reading it through so kids can get a better idea of the new rights it will guarantee and provide.
Talk about the importance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, how important it is for everyone - especially kids - to know about it. And how important it is for every country to ratify and enforce it. All kids need to get their needs met.
Discuss what you can do to help other know and to see that the UN Convention gets ratified and enforced in every country. Maybe kids would like to hold more such meetings and carry petitions or start a letter writing campaign. We can send you ideas and materials (newsletters, petitions, letters, etc.) that can help. Maybe some kids will want to form a group and work together to help kids. (We can help with that, too.)
Good luck. Remember that Kids Meeting Kids Can Make A Difference. Please let us know what's happening.