CHILDREN AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAMME  

My Future Today: a Guide for Youth

In October 2005 we re-established a programme focusing on children with the objectives of:
Teaching children about human rights, particularly within schools
Creating widespread understanding of children’s rights, among children, parents, teachers, government departments and the community at large
Encouraging the government to enshrine children’s rights in Botswana law
Providing paralegal services for children

Our work includes the following:
Development of resources for use in schools for both formal teaching of human rights and to support activities such as Human Rights Clubs run by students.  In 1997 we launched “Tsa Bana!:  Human rights modules for secondary school teachers”, which will be revised and replaced over the coming months. 
Raising awareness of children’s rights issues.
Seeking to improve human rights information available for young people, through publications, the media, presentations to young people, etc.
Working with our Activism Programme to encourage the government’s integration of children’s rights inti legislation, policies and practices.
Supporting Paralegal cases involving children and young people

As the increasing number of “femicides” – so-called “passion killings” typically involve young people, this programme is also working with other organisations to seek ways to address the problem.

Teachers and others may be interested in our list of African and international “Human Rights Days”.

Existing publications and materials relevant for children or young people, and children’s rights issues include the following – see Publications for more detail about them:A 2006 wall calendar of Human Rights Days, designed for schools