The sweet sounds of steel pan and calypso are expected to fill the air at the Hilton Barbados next weekend.

More than 400 youth will gather on Saturday, November 15, to celebrate 25 years of child rights advocacy, at a rally which will also include dramatic presentations and dance.

According to Chairman of the Committee for the Rights of the Child, Faith Marshall-Harris, who is also the coordinator of the event, the rally is especially targeted at children and those adults who facilitate the rights of children.

The majority of children present will be drawn from secondary schools across Barbados.??Performers include the St. Leonard???s Boys??? Choir, Junior Calypso Monarch, Ranaan Hackett; the Barbados Community College Drama Group and Dancin??? Africa.

At the end of the event, 50 balloons will be released ??? 25 to signify past advocacy for child rights and the remainder for another 25 years of such advocacy.The aim of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is to set standards for the defence of children against the neglect and abuse they face in varying degrees worldwide.

Under the convention, rights for children can be grouped into three categories. The first is Provision, which speaks to the right to possess, receive or have access to certain rights and services like health care, education, rest and play.

Protection is also a tenant of the Convention and states that children should be shielded from harmful acts and practices, for example, engagement in warfare, commercial or sexual exploitation and physical and mental abuse.

The final category is Participation, which addresses the child’s right to be heard on decisions affecting his or her life. It is envisaged that as abilities progress, the child should have increasing opportunities to take part in the activities of society in preparation for adult life. This includes freedom of speech, opinion, culture and religion.

kim.ramsay-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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