Children’s Commissioner launches book on rights

A book entitled My Rights was today launched by child commissioner Helen D'Amato at St Monica's School in Birkirkara. The book, which is targeted at 10 to 12 year olds, is aimed at helping children understand their rights enshrined in the United Nations convention, D'Amato said.

The commissioner underlined the importance of empowering children and ensure that "they understand their rights enshrined in the UN convention and their responsibilities towards themselves and others."

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, introduced in 1989, is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights-civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.

Malta signed the convention in 1990. The book, with extracts in both English and Maltese, will be distributed for free to all students in Grade 6 and Form 1 , attending state, church and independent schools.

The convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations. These basic standards set minimum entitlements and freedoms that should be respected by governments.

They are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each individual, regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, birth status or ability and therefore apply to every human being everywhere.