Children placed at the heart of human rights at Constitution Hill

A culture of championing and respecting everyone’s rights starts with the child. That’s why this year’s Human Rights Festival in Braamfontein again features special programmes for the young ones. By

Children are the most vulnerable citizens in the world and they are subjected to exploitation in all forms. However, I believe that when most adults start initiatives that aim to empower children, the first thing they think about is how to address children’s needs in their immediate and surrounding communities.

They often don’t think about how children can become human rights activists; how, according to our Constitution, they are human rights bearers; and how a culture of human rights must start with the child.

In 2023, as part of the fifth edition of the Human Rights Festival hosted at Constitution Hill, we will see how the festival has grown, and how the emphasis on children’s rights has been improved and expanded by organisations such as Skilful Spaces, Play Africa, Lefika La Phodiso and Lalela, all of which have participated in the festival since its inception.

So far, the human rights of children to an education, to play and to enjoy safe spaces have been the three rights on which we have concentrated. We have thus played an important role in the festival’s efforts to ensure that a child’s voice is heard.

In this way, we can use the festival to effect change in how society treats its children.

In previous years, Skilful Spaces has held dialogues on modern-day child labour and the exploitation of children through the use of social media. Children have been a vital part of these discussions, sharing insights on how the fine line can be crossed.

Because we recognise that we cannot develop children in the absence of their parents and communities, we have also included experts in the field such as Buang Jones, former commissioner at the South African Human Rights Commission, to teach and advise both parents and children on policies and best practices.

Our first programme was the Right to Write History. The goal of this initiative was to teach kids how to use photography to capture their life, express themselves, and pass those images down to future generations. This was a project to teach children to use photography to give children a voice, document their lives, archive and be able to share with future generations (this was supported by the Market Theatre Photo Workshop). This project was iconic because most children felt trapped, watching the world go by.

In addition, Play Africa has developed a programme that teaches children voting skills. It has a mock court that helps children understand court proceedings in a playful manner.

Lalela has facilitated a mural created by children for children to educate them about their rights.

But children’s rights aren’t just important for a few days a year. Constitution Hill offers year-round educational programmes, which you can book for your family, church or school group, aimed at teaching children about the Bill of Rights.

This year, we have worked hard to put children at the heart of the Human Rights

Festival. Join Skilful Spaces, Play Africa and Lalela on 24 and 25 March for a full two days of fun, interactive workshops. Some of the events include:

An all-day programme organised by Lefika La Phodiso (the rock of holding and healing) of community art counselling, drama, drumming and dance.

Two all-day programmes by Play Africa including a children’s court, learning to vote and an imagination playground. Children’s storytelling at the Women’s Jail book fair.

A children’s writing workshop and a mechanical engineering and coding workshop at the old Fort on 25 March.

So come along and engage with these organisations. Learn more about their important work and join in their fundraising efforts to reach more children across South Africa.

Nthabi Fuyani is the founding director of Skilful Spaces.