Posted by IPAcommunications on September 23, 2009
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, approved by the UN in 1989 and ratified by almost every country in the world, is a benchmark against which a nation’s treatment of its children can be measured. It has not only led to great improvements in the protection and enhancement of the basic rights of children through policies, programs and services but it is also a visionary document that is influencing the way we think about children.
This remarkably comprehensive treaty not only incorporates what has been thought of children’s rights but also demands that the world think more deeply about children’s position as citizens and more broadly about their development than is commonly the case. It asks that we look holistically at children’s lives and hear their own perspectives on issues affecting them.
As a result it is leading many nations to address elements of children’s lives that have hitherto been ignored but that represent our fundamental humanity. One of these – at the heart of children’s lives everywhere – is the right to play.
Research supports that play contributes to brain development, creates flexibility, enhances creativity and builds resilience to stress. IPA believes that adults need to ensure that the physical and social environments in which children live are supportive of their play, otherwise their survival, well-being and development may be compromised.
While the industrialized world faces some major problems in providing a suitable range of environments and sufficient time for children to play freely, the majority of the world’s children face hazards such as polluted water, open sewer systems, over-crowded cities, and dangerously congested streets as well as degrees of social insecurity.
By far the most serious constraint to children’s free play globally – because it has a direct bearing on all others – is the lack of appreciation of its value by most adults and this of course includes governments. IPA has undertaken a campaign to promote the value of children’s play worldwide.
Posted by IPAcommunications on
Request for a General Comment on article 31
In May 2008, IPA wrote to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child requesting that a General Comment be developed on article 31 of the UN Convention.
General Comments are official statements adopted by the UN Committee to increase state accountability with regard to an identified issue. They elaborate on the meaning of an aspect of the Convention where ‘states parties’ are seen to be falling short in compliance.
International Support
IPA’s request to the UN was supported by the following international organizations:
- International Pediatrics Association
- World Organization for Early Childhood Educ. (OMEP)
- World Leisure Association
- International Toy Library Association
- Right to Play International
- European Child Friendly Cities Network
- International Council on Children’s Play
Worldwide Consultations
While this request is under consideration IPA has initiated a series of Global Consultations on Children’s Right to Play.
The purposes of the project are:
- to mobilize a worldwide network of article 31 advocates
The regional consultations will build article 31 advocacy bases – or strengthen existing ones.
- to harness expertise in raising awareness of the importance of play in the lives of children
The preparation for the event is an opportunity to involve a broader range of supporters, as described in the range of participants list.
- to gather specific material which can help inform a General Comment
The program will facilitate discussion on the ‘state of play’ in the respective regions – the strengths and challenges in each community – and to gather as much information as possible on cases where children’s play opportunities have been denied or restricted.
- to formulate practical recommendations for governments with regard to compliance.
Regional groups will discuss practical strategies to facilitate greater compliance with article 31 and how annual progress can be measured.
Consultation Participants
Eight regions are engaged in this initial project. These will be held in
Johannesburg, Nairobi, Beirut, Mumbai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Mexico City and Sofia. Details of these Consultations will be posted on this site as we receive them, and a calendar prepared to provide an overview of the whole project.
The project is based on partnerships between IPA and national/regional organizations and groups which will contribute practical assistance at the local site.
Potential Spin-off Events
There are organizations and groups around the world who have expressed interest in participating in this “Children’s Right to Play” campaign. As a result, IPA is considering a satellite phase where IPA and other related groups can use the Consultation Kit to host their own event.
Posted by IPAcommunications on September 22, 2009
“That every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.
That member governments shall respect and promote the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational and leisure activity.”
Article 31 encompasses a range of concepts that carry different meanings. These are the child’s right to rest, leisure, play and recreational activities and to participate in cultural and artistic life. The unifying concept is ‘not working’. However, while each of these is important in children’s lives, “play” stands apart from them in a number of ways. Play is a mode of being rather than an activity and is neither time nor space bound. It is interwoven into children’s everyday lives.
The UNCRC Handbook (2007) describes play as possibly “the most interesting (of the group of concepts) in terms of childhood in that it includes activities of children which are not controlled by adults”. Free play is of particular interest to IPA because of its importance in children’s lives and because it is the component of article 31 least understood and appreciated.
Unstructured or ‘Free Play’- a definition
In spite of the complexity and diversity of play behaviour, there is general agreement by specialists in the field that play is controlled by children rather than adults, and that it is undertaken for its own sake and not for prescribed purposes. The term “free play” is often used to distinguish this from organized recreational and learning activities, which of course also have important roles in child development. However, the characteristics of free play – such as control, uncertainty, flexibility, novelty, non-productivity – are what produce a high degree of pleasure and, simultaneously, the incentive to continue to play. Recent neurological research indicates that this type of behaviour plays a significant role in the development of the brain’s structure and chemistry. Emerging research suggests that child-controlled play may in fact represent a vital evolved behaviour that is necessary for optimal physical and emotional functioning.
The Importance of Play – and of Understanding Play
While the original intention for the inclusion of article 31 is understood to have been rooted in concern for working children, the International Play Association (instrumental in the inclusion of the word ‘play’ in the UNCRC) has always held a much broader view; recognizing the full range of benefits of play for all children worldwide. Research has established that play contributes to brain development, creates flexibility, enhances creativity, and builds resilience to stress. The connection between play and children’s well-being has been made with some authority by numerous researchers. Ultimately the opposite of play is not work, it is no play. And no play can be devastating for children.
“In supporting children’s right to play, attention must be paid not simply to the external expressions of play, but to the conditions in which ‘playfulness’ thrives.” Importance of Play, Concept Paper.
Posted by IPAcommunications on September 21, 2009
