A day for the children

Today, June 1, we celebrate the International Children’s Day, a special day to honor the rights of children across the globe. This annual celebration aims to highlight giving quality life to every child.

The celebration was first done in 1954 to protect children from working at an early age as well as give them the right to education. Though 60 years have passed, the celebration continues to focus on how society shapes the bearers of tomorrow.

At present, there is still a growing need to look back at the opportunities that have been given to children. Some children still can’t afford education and healthcare, and they eventually end up working in dangerous workplaces.

As we live in a time of modernization and economic changes, every effort shall be made that each child is protected and secured against perils. A child’s rights should never be neglected.

Children enter the world with limited range of skills and capabilities. They cannot protect themselves against life’s perils. Therefore, they need adults to guide them every step of the way.

The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. – Dolores Aboitiz Children’s Fund (RAFI-DACF) believes in the importance of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), a field of work that focuses on the holistic development of a child.

It ensures the wellbeing of young children by supporting their development in areas that include health, nutrition, education, social science, economics, child protection, and social welfare.

In 2000, the Philippines enacted Republic Act 8980, which promulgated a comprehensive policy and national system for ECCD. This act, also called the “ECCD Act,” is the policy of the country to promote the rights of children in the areas of survival, development, and special protection.

Here are some insights that RAFI-DACF believes every child deserves and what can be done to achieve these:

Children deserve to be respected.

In the guiding principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children, it  is stated that, “All children should be entitled to their basic rights without discrimination; the best interests of the child should be the primary concern of decision-making; children have the right to live and develop; and the views of children must be taken into account in matters affecting them.” This means that respect in any form should be rightfully given to every child, without looking at his race, educational background, and economic status.

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Children and everyone around shall be treated with outmost respect. When children see the way grownups respect and value others, they will do the same way. Children shall be taught that everyone deserves to be respected no matter how old or young he is.

Children deserve to be educated.

One of the reasons behind the celebration of International Children’s Day is to remind society that children should be not subjected to child labor. But, many children today are, instead, made to help earn money rather than being left alone to play with toys.

The right to education is a gateway to improve the lives of families. The right to basic education is important because it provides opportunity for children to learn how to write and read.

Children deserve to be loved and protected.

Every child needs a special attention from their families and from the community they live in. They have the right to survive, to have an identity, to be safe, and to grow up in a protective environment. Rich or poor, every child should have an equal opportunity in life.

However, millions of children are still helpless. Some are not protected from life’s perils. Children are born totally dependent beings who need love, affection, and protection from their immediate families and community.

Children deserve to play.

Children’s Day is about children’s right to enjoy their childhood without any boundaries.

Play is a self-initiated act that gives children the opportunity to create their own learning experiences. It allows children to explore their rapport skills, to develop their cognitive capabilities, to hone their social and language skills, or, to put it simply, they are learn through play.

Parents and guardians should not put pressure in the heads of kids. They must not force the kids learn to read at a snap, complete puzzles at four, or perhaps let them solve arithmetic problems at very young age. Rather, kids shall be allowed to enjoy the pleasure of playing and learning at their own comfortable pace.

While it is important for kids to learn these basic things, it is equally important that they learn things out of self-created experiences.

How to celebrate this day:

Some parents give cards or tokens to their children. Like celebrating Christmas and birthdays, may this significant day not pass as just an ordinary day. One idea is to bring the kids to an orphanage and donate some their belongings to the unfortunate children. This way, the kids can feel what’s it’s like to give, and so they may grasp the meaning of this celebration.