Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states:
1. State parties to the Convention recognize the child’s right to recreation and play, to participation in games and leisure activities appropriate for their age, and to free participation in cultural life and the arts.
2. State parties to the Convention respect and develop the child’s right to full participation in cultural and creative life and promote the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural and creative activity, recreation and leisure.
As you can see this is a children’s playhouse designed for little children, but how does it look like?
The vandals from the city are ruining everything, taking away the right of the little ones to indulge in plays, because of the dirty table and benches, the garbage that is collected daily by the hygienists of the kindergarten and the thousands of butts on the ground!
Author: Bozhidar Kapitanski, Blagoevgrad Municipal Youth Parliament at the Center for Children’s Personal and Creative Development, student from Professional High School of Construction, Architecture and Geodesy, “Vasil Levski” , town of Blagoevgrad
Reflection questions:
1/ How various cases of vandalism are abusing the rights of citizens, including children?
2/ What can be done to prevent vandalism and destruction of public spaces, play grounds and other shared areas?