World Children's Day

Piopio College students celebrate World Children’s Day with a national launch of child rights resources

WELLINGTON, 18 NOVEMBER 2022 – School students at Piopio College celebrated World Children’s Day on Thursday, a global day of action for children by children, by ‘going blue’ and launching new child rights resources for schools in Aotearoa.

Piopio College is the first school in the country to participate in a workshop with these new child rights materials, which will be available for all schools in Aotearoa from the 20 November. Through these materials and engaging games, students will have the chance to learn more about the Convention on the Rights of the Child and understand their rights.

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s annual day of action for children, by children. It’s a day where all around the world, children and young people raise their voices to call on adults to create a better future for every child. Each year, World Children’s Day is celebrated globally on the 20 November marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

From climate change, education and mental health, to ending racism and discrimination, children and young people are raising their voices on the issues that matter to their generation and calling for adults to create a better future.

The students at Piopio College joined the global voice of children around the world by sharing their important views on children’s rights and learning more about their rights through participating in fun activities provided in the new resources available for schools.

UNICEF Aotearoa CEO, Michelle Sharp, said, “This week we are joining children all across the world to celebrate this important day where children are taking action on issues affecting them. It was an honour to see the students at Piopio College join this global voice by sharing their important views on children’s rights.

“The launch of these new child rights resources will support children across Aotearoa to learn and understand their rights. We know that the more children understand about their rights, the more likely they are to speak out when their own rights, or the rights of others, aren’t being met.”

To celebrate World Children’s Day, UNICEF Aotearoa is releasing a set of new resources including booklets, games and activities, for children, young people and teachers in the classroom (Preschool – Intermediate) to learn about theConvention on the Rights of the Child. Some resources will also be available in Te reo Māori, Samoan, Tongan, Hindi and Chinese and are easy to understand for students with child-friendly language.

The child rights resources are available to school students across Aotearoa, thanks to support from Dan Carter’s DC10 Fund in partnership with UNICEF.