Virtues / Ethics / Rights

Rights & Responsibility: the role of children

Human rights are those rights which are essential to live as human beings – basic standards without which people cannot survive and develop in dignity. They are inherent to the human person, inalienable and universal.

Children’s rights are a special case because many of the rights laid down in the Convention on the Rights of the Child have to be provided by adults or the state.

However, the Convention also refers to the responsibilities of children, in particular to respect the rights of others, especially their parents (Article 29).

(Above intro and the 5 responsibilities below are from

Children’s Responsibilities / Virtues needed to behave in this ethically responsible manner:
1 / If every child, regardless of their sex, ethnic origin, social status, language, age, nationality or religion has these rights, then they also have a responsibilityto respect each other in a humane way. / ▪ respect (one of the Six Pillars of Character)
▪ compassion
▪ empathy
2 / If children have a right to be protected from conflict, cruelty, exploitation and neglect, then they also have a responsibilitynot to bully or harm each other. / ▪ respect
▪ kindness
▪ responsibility (one of the Six Pillars)
3 / If children have a right to a clean environment, then they also have a responsibility to do what they can to look after their environment. / ▪ citizenship (one of the Six Pillars)
▪ stewardship
▪ thoughtfulness
4 / If children have a right to be educated, then they have the obligationto learn as much as their capabilities allow and, where possible, share their knowledge and experience with others. / ▪ citizenship
▪ self-discipline
▪ initiative
5 / If all children have a right to a full life, then they should also lend help so the needy, the disadvantaged, and the victims of discrimination also enjoy this right. / ▪ caring (one of the Six Pillars)
▪ compassion
▪ citizenship
Anything to add…?

Discuss the following quotes with a parent or guardian. In an outline or essay, summarize responses and ideas that you discussed together. (Note: the people quoted can be easily ‘googled’ to see who they are.)

You must be the change you want to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi

What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. Jane Goodall

The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence. Denis Waitley

Let us put our minds together and see what life we can make for our children. Sitting Bull

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.

Stacia Tauscher

Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see. John W. Whitehead

Developed by Teresa Hudock, USC—CALIS – May 2008usc.edu/calis