The Place of a Child in National and International Law: A Human Rights Perspective

On December 16, 2022, the Department of B.Ed. organized a Special Lecture by Dr Debolina Sarkar on The Place of a Child in National and International Law: A Human Rights Perspective in association with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell. The Lecture was held in the blended mode and was attended by the faculty and students of the Department of B. Ed. of Loreto College, Kolkata as well as faculty and students of Women's College (Autonomous), Patna, St. Ann's College of Education (Autonomous), Secunderabad, Mount Carmel College of Teacher Education for Women, Kottayam, St. Ann's College of Education (Autonomous), Mangalore and Jesus and Mary College, New Delhi.
The Lecture began with an insight into the growing responsibility of teachers and schools in providing a safe space for the holistic development of students amidst uncertainties that plague their personal lives. In this perspective, Dr Sarkar stressed on Human Rights education as an integral part of Right to Life and Right to Education. Awareness on Human Rights promotes values such as social justice, tolerance and acceptance, and shapes the attitudes, behaviour, and perspectives of people to encourage respect for each person as a unique individual with dignity. These values are critical to our well- being as a society and thus have been institutionalised as legal, universal, interdependent, and inalienable rights by the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on November 20, 1989. This Convention holds institutions and governments accountable so that the child finds a safe environment to mature physically and mentally.
Dr Sarkar also emphasised on the role of various legal provisions like Juvenile Justice Act (2015) and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) in promoting child welfare.The Lecture ended with a reiteration on the importance of acknowledging and respecting the individuality, and unique needs and capabilities of children.