Violation of Youth Rights

Around the World

Introduction:

It might not always feel like it, but youth all around the world have basic, inalienable human rights that cannot be taken away (no, that doesn’t include getting your cell phone taken away or having the right to eat at Mark’s three times a week). Unfortunately, these rights have been violated all over the world. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are crying foul.

So, the United Nations has chosen YOU to investigate how human rights for youth are being upheld or violated worldwide. As a teenager, who is experiencing the world from a young person’s perspective, you have the best insight into youth rights!

(United Nations Flag)

Before you start, get into groups of two. Choose wisely, this person will be your partner for the entire webquest. The two of you are going to search through websites below and investigate youth rights.

Task:

During your investigation, in pairs, you’ll be asked to prepare your results in two ways:

One, you’re going to write up a youth rights campaign flyer, poster or a storyboard. The piece should be informational and contain facts from the websites you visit regarding youth rights. It must be at least two pages (or one large poster) with direct quotes from the information you find. It should address the issues of youth rights being violated, the reasons for these violations, and how we, as youth in America, can help.

Two, Using the Public Policy Analyst as a research tool, you are going to prepare a written statement that will be presented in front of the United Nations (in class) with your findings and how you think these rights are being violated. Be as specific as possible and make sure to use quotes from your investigation. Think about questions, such as: Is this a serious problem? Do we have it under control? What are the specific rights that youth have worldwide? What specific rights are not upheld? And, most importantly, what can we, as American youth, do to help? Your statement must be at least three minutes long (three pages at a minute a page), but can be longer.

Process:

When investigating any issue, you have to go through a process. These links below, which are pieces of a six-step process called the Public Policy Analyst, will help you to investigate your issue and complete the two assignments above. Use them as a guide to help you understand the problem and format your project.

First, you define the problem

Then, you gather evidence

After this, identify the cause of the issue

Next, evaluate the existing policy

Then, develop solutions

Finally, you select the best solution

Now, in pairs, use the links below to investigate this issue and complete the two assignments above. From the information below, you’ll create your Public Policy Analyst worksheets and use specific quotes from the websites. These worksheets should prepare you for the written statement that you will present to the UN.

Resources:

Here are the websites with the information that you can use:

Youth for Human Rights: http://youthforhumanrights.org/introduction/index.html

United Nations: http://www.un.org/rights/

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

Compass: http://www.eycb.coe.int/compass/en/chapter_4/4_1.html

Workshop decries violation of human rights: http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990726/ige26149.html

Taking It Global: http://en.takingitglobal.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=10189

Kashmir 1997: http://jammu-kashmir.com/archives/archives1997/97august19.html

Journalists for Human Rights: http://www.jhr.ca/en/

Teens serving life in prison: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/oct2005/yout-o15.shtml

Children’s rights: http://www.preda.org/work/child%20rescue/jreport/rightsofcicl.html

Youth for Human Rights: http://youthforhumanrights.org/introduction/howyoucanhelp.html

Peace Women: http://www.peacewomen.org/news/International/March07/Right_to_Education.htm

Human Rights and Poverty: http://www.pdhre.org/rights/poverty.html

Amnesty International: http://web.amnesty.org/pages/irn-220607-editorial-eng

Human Rights News: http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/06/15/guinea16151.htm

Human Rights Watch Children: http://hrw.org/doc/?t=children

Evaluating your work:

Below are the two checklists by which you’re going to be marked for this assignment. Look at them closely, because you should strive to achieve all of these guidelines.

How you rate on your flyer/poster/storyboard:

Focus - The topic is very clear when you first look at it.

Main Ideas - The main ideas are appropriate to the topic and are presented correctly.

Supporting Details - Appropriate and accurate details support each main idea.

Purpose - The purpose of the poster is clearly accomplished.

Drawings and Illustrations - All illustrations, photographs, and drawings add to the purpose and interest of the poster.

Mechanics (C-U-P-S) - There are no errors in capitalization, usage, punctuation, or spelling.

Layout and Design - The overall organization, design, use of color, and use of space help to make the poster interesting and to communicate the message.

Creativity - The poster is highly original and creative. 

Neat and Presentable - The poster is very neat and presentable.

ü+ : You did all of these elements clearly and effectively with great effort

ü : You did all of these elements, most were clear, good effort

ü- : You did almost all of the elements and did a basic effort

Redo: You were missing major elements and lacked effort

How you rate on your written statement/presentation:

Communication of Ideas

Great Achievement (ü+)

* Takes a strong, well-defined position

* Presents a well-organized, persuasive argument with accurate supporting evidence

* Deals with all significant issues and demonstrates a depth of understanding of important relationships

* Examines problem from several positions

Good Achievement (ü)

* Takes a clear position

* Presents an organized argument with perhaps only minor errors in the supporting evidence

* Deals with the major issues and shows some understanding of relationships

* Gives consideration to examination of more than one idea or aspect of the problem

Acceptable Achievement (ü-)

* Takes a definite but general position

* Presents a somewhat organized argument

* Uses general terms with limited evidence that may not be totally accurate

* Deals with a limited number of issues

* Views problem within a somewhat limited range

Needs Improvement (Redo)

* Presents general and indefinite position

* Only minimal organization in presentation

* Uses generalities to support position

* Emphasizes only one issue

* Considers only one aspect of problem

Conclusion:

Throughout this webquest, you’ve hopefully gained knowledge about youth around the world, what their rights are, how those rights are violated and what we, as a global village, can do to help.

Now it’s reflection time! Individually, write up a reflection that focuses on what you’ve learned, why it’s important, where the problem exists and how you feel we can improve things. Also, what did you find challenging about this assignment? What did you do well? What would you change about the assignment if you were to do it again?

Questions, Comments, Concerns? Contact Patrick.Shea@rcsdk12.org