CHILDREN’S LEVELS OF AWARENESS REGARDING CHILD RIGHTS AND THEIR APPLICATION
Jana Stejskalová
University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Health and Social Studies, Department of
Social Work, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Korespondenční autor: Jana Stejskalová (jstejskalova@zsf.jcu.cz)
ISSN 1804-7181 (On-line)
Full verze:
Submitted:2. 9. 2012
Accepted: 25. 9. 2012
Published online: 20. 12. 2012
Summary
Due to historical conditions during the last century, the societal view of children has evolved considerably. Children have now been identified as a group in need of special protection (other such groups include women, persons with disabilities, etc.) and their rights have been enshrined in an international document entitled the Convention on the Rights of the Child (hereinafter referred to as the “Convention”). This article deals with issues concerning children’s lack of awareness regarding their rights (i.e., the rights of the child incorporated in the Convention) and their application; and builds on previous research in this field. The aim of this article is to answer the question of children’s awareness and knowledge levels pertaining to children’s rights, and the ability to implement them in practice. Age, gender, cultural and family background are factors taken into account. Research indicates that select rights are generally acknowledged rights, such as the freedom of speech and expression, the right to education and the principle of non-discrimination. With regards to other rights, the influence of age becomes evident, when examining activities assigned to young children by an authoritative body. The right to privacy was more often supported in older respondents. With regard to gender more boys than girls felt that it was acceptable to miss school in order to help their parents with the family business. While statistically speaking, more girls than boys acknowledge the right to an education and the right to a satisfying social environment.
Keywords: knowledge of children’s rights; Convention on the Rights of the Child; school-aged children; international comparison
Literatura
1. A World Fit for Children (2006). New York: United Nations Children’s Fund. 110 p. ISBN 13: 978–92– 806–4087–8.
2. Archard D (2004). Children: Rights and Childhood. 2nd ed. London: Routledge. 264 p. ISBN 0415305845.
3. Bakalář E (1993). Nové pohledy na rozvodovou tematiku [New Views on Divorce]. 1st ed. Praha: MPSV ČR. 49 p. ISBN 80–85529–06–8 (Czech).
4. Casas F, Saporiti A, González M, Figuer C, Rostan C, Sadurní M, Alsinet C, Gusó M, Grignoli D (2006). Children’s Rights From the Point of View of Children, their Parents and Their Teachers: A Comparative Study between Catalonia (Spain) and Il Molise (Italy). International Journal of Children’s Rights. 14: 1–75. ISSN 0927–5568.
5. Kovařík J et al. (2001a). Právní povědomí a pojetí práva u českých dětí školního věku – průběžná zpráva z výzkumného projektu CEZ č. J06/98:12100001 za údobí od 1. 1. 2001 do 31. 12. 2001 [Children Rights and Awareness of Rights by Czech School Age Children – Continuous Report of the Project CEZ č. J06/98:12100001 in Term from 1. 1. 2001 to 31. 12. 2001]. České Budějovice: Jihočeská univerzita, Zdravotně sociální fakulta. 38 p. (Czech).
6. Kovařík J et al. (2001b). Dětská práva, právní povědomí, participace dětí a sociální služby [Children Rights, right awareness, participation and social services.]. České Budějovice, Jihočeská univerzita v Českých Budějovicích, Zdravotně sociální fakulta. 222 p. ISBN 80–7040–531–7 (Czech).
7. Langmeier J, Krejčířová D (2006). Vývojová psychologie [Developmental Psychology]. 2nd ed. Praha: Grada. 368 p. ISBN 80–247–1284–9 (Czech).
8. Matoušek O et al. (2007). Základy sociální práce [Basics of Social Work]. 2nd ed. Praha: Portál. 312 p. ISBN 978–80–7367–331–4 (Czech).
9. Říčan P (2006). Cesta životem: vývojová psychologie [Lifespan psychology: developmental psychology]. 2nd ed. Praha: Portál. 390 p. ISBN 80–7367–124–7 (Czech).
10. Úmluva o právech dítěte (2004–07) [The Convention on the Rights of the Child]. [online] [cit. 2007– 07–10]. Available from: http://www.unicef.cz (Czech).
11. Vágnerová M (2005). Vývojová psychologie I. Dětství a dospívání [Developmental psychology I. Childhood and growing up]. 1st ed. Praha: Karolinum. 476 p. ISBN 80–246–0956–8 (Czech).
12. Vybrané kapitoly k 10. výročí přijetí Úmluvy o právech dítěte (2000) [Selected Chapters to 10th anniversary of Ratification the Convention on the Rights of the Child]. 1st ed. Praha: JAN. 240 p. ISBN 80–85529–85–8 (Czech).
13. Warshak RA (2004). Rozvodové jedy [Divorce Poison]. 1st ed. Praha: Triton. 392 p. ISBN 80–7254– 439-X (Czech).
14. World Health Organization (2002). Twenty-five questions on health and human rights. Ženeva: WHO. 36 p. ISBN 92 4 154569 0.
15. Zákon MŠMT ČR č. 561/2004 Sb., o předškolním, základním, středním, vyšším odborném a jiném vzdělávání – školský zákon [The Law MEYS in Czech No. 561/2004 Sb.]. © MŠMT 2006–12. [online] [cit. 2012–08–24]. Available from: http://www.msmt.cz/…kolsky-zakon (Czech).
