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Since July, we have launched a project dedicated to children's rights.
The “Children's Rights” Project was implemented with the support of the French Embassy and the French Institute in Romania.
The International Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms and upholds the fundamental principles and rights of children. This convention has become a guiding framework for the principles of the Valentina Association. Therefore, we believe in children’s rights — all children have rights, and they must be exercised. However, not everyone is aware of these rights, especially the children enrolled in our program. That is why our goal is to make these rights known.
Our joint awareness-raising action is divided into two main areas. First, our activities are directed towards children, with the objective of increasing their awareness of their rights and responsibilities. Second, our efforts are aimed at the wider community, raising public awareness of our work through a roundtable discussion with external stakeholders on the topic of children's rights and the integration of children from vulnerable backgrounds into school and society.
Thus, we began awareness activities with the children through several initiatives.
To start, during the month of July, the most important children’s rights were introduced, which led to many discussions. These sessions were conducted by professionals from our day center, including the pedagogue and the social worker. The activities also involved students from the Lycée Français of Bucharest and French students from the Institut Polytechnique UniLaSalle and Sciences Po University.
During the summer camp, which took place from July 19 to 25, we focused on nationality and identity, combating discrimination, and included games and leisure activities.
We then began a drawing workshop with a drawing teacher. Six sessions are planned, each covering a different children's right, three of which have already taken place with the children.
The first session focused on the right to education. The children were given A3 sheets, drawing pencils, and colored pencils. They expressed and interpreted their right to education through drawing.
In the next session, the children focused on their right to play, to dream, and to smile, through a photography workshop. Using their mobile phones, the children took pictures of nature and their friends, capturing details that reminded them of different emotions.
In the third session, the children discussed their right to a name and a nationality, then participated in a collage workshop using their names.
What have we observed so far during the implementation of the project?
The children are eager to learn about their rights;
They want to understand more about their rights and how to exercise them;
They are very engaged in the project’s activities;
They want to participate in discussion sessions and express their feelings and personal experiences;
They have started to become aware of their rights and talk about them with other family members;
They enjoyed the opportunity to develop their creativity.
We will continue to introduce the children to fundamental rights and invite them to discussions, offering more activities and drawing workshops to help them better understand these rights.
“All children have rights — let’s help them learn about them.”
