Address On Children’s Rights In Society

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29893, 6 August 1962, Page 2

Address On Children’s Rights In Society

“It is the child that gives meaning to the present and hope to the future,” said Mrs Gertrude Cree, a well-known educationist and Dominion secretary of the Pan-Pacific and South-east Asia Women’s Association, when she introduced a two-speaker address on “The Essential Element of Society—the Child” to members of the association’s Christchurch branch. With Miss Beryl Evans, a visiting teacher and the

branch treasurer, Mirs Cree was discussing the principles of the United Nations declaration of the rights of the j child, with special reference to the New Zealand situation. Questioning to what extent such rights were being implemented in this country, Mrs Cree said it should be I asked whether New Zealand I legislation had gone too far or far enough in this respect, and whether any of these rights should be curtailed or withdrawn. Rights and freedoms must be accompanied by corresponding responsibilities and obligations, Mrs Cree said, but the essential meaning of the word “right” should not be confused with indulgence." The latter was not necessarily conducive to the basic social security of the child. New Zealanders, although already converted to social security were not always in this ’ respect con- | verted to the meaning of social security on a broader ! scale. Essential factors flor a saitis- j facrtorily integrated and wellarmoured child included not only good health, love, and sense of self-respect, but a basic self-discipline and firmly-established standards of right and wrong.

“Yes, I think on the whole we are all pretty smug in New Zealand about the satisfying of these rights of our children. But there is one important branch of our education—that of our slow and reluctant learners—in whidh we are not doing this. “I consider that these children have an equal right to a special education as have the handicapped or specially gifted children, and no right to be tossed out on to the labour market as rejects to sink or swim.

“This I believe to be a serious gap in our educational system and in the provision of the rights of our New Zealand children, and think we must do more research on what is needed for these reluctant learners,” said Mrs Cree.