"And most importantly perhaps, children can learn about their rights, share their knowledge with the children of other nations, identify problems with them and establish how they might work together to address them"
About this Quote
Carol Bellamy places agency squarely in the hands of children, framing them not as passive recipients of protection but as rights-holders and collaborators. The emphasis on learning about their rights reflects the shift to a rights-based approach championed by UNICEF during Bellamy’s tenure, grounded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Knowing the rights to be heard, to access information, and to associate transforms children from subjects of policy into participants in decisions that affect them.
Sharing knowledge with children of other nations enlarges this agency into a form of global citizenship. When young people exchange experiences across borders, they discover both common challenges and diverse perspectives. That process builds solidarity, exposes local problems to wider scrutiny, and reduces prejudice by humanizing distant others. It also cultivates skills essential to democratic life: listening, deliberation, and collective problem-solving.
The call to identify problems together and establish how to address them shifts the focus from symbolic participation to practical action. Child-to-child networks, school clubs, youth councils, and digital platforms can become laboratories for designing solutions, from anti-bullying campaigns to community health initiatives and climate projects. The underlying claim is not that adults should withdraw, but that intergenerational partnerships are stronger when children’s lived experience informs priorities and strategies.
There is an ethical edge to Bellamy’s view. Rights education is a shield against exploitation and neglect, but it is also a compass for civic responsibility. At the same time, meaningful participation must be inclusive and safe. Adults and institutions bear the duty to provide access, protection, and resources so that children from marginalized groups are not left out, and so that participation does not become tokenistic or burdensome.
Ultimately, Bellamy sketches a world where childhood is not a waiting room for citizenship. It is an active stage of social contribution, and the habit of working together across borders begins early, shaping more just and compassionate societies.
Sharing knowledge with children of other nations enlarges this agency into a form of global citizenship. When young people exchange experiences across borders, they discover both common challenges and diverse perspectives. That process builds solidarity, exposes local problems to wider scrutiny, and reduces prejudice by humanizing distant others. It also cultivates skills essential to democratic life: listening, deliberation, and collective problem-solving.
The call to identify problems together and establish how to address them shifts the focus from symbolic participation to practical action. Child-to-child networks, school clubs, youth councils, and digital platforms can become laboratories for designing solutions, from anti-bullying campaigns to community health initiatives and climate projects. The underlying claim is not that adults should withdraw, but that intergenerational partnerships are stronger when children’s lived experience informs priorities and strategies.
There is an ethical edge to Bellamy’s view. Rights education is a shield against exploitation and neglect, but it is also a compass for civic responsibility. At the same time, meaningful participation must be inclusive and safe. Adults and institutions bear the duty to provide access, protection, and resources so that children from marginalized groups are not left out, and so that participation does not become tokenistic or burdensome.
Ultimately, Bellamy sketches a world where childhood is not a waiting room for citizenship. It is an active stage of social contribution, and the habit of working together across borders begins early, shaping more just and compassionate societies.
Quote Details
| Topic | Human Rights |
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