What Is Children Human Rights? And How We Can Raise Awaerness About It?

Written by Maitha AlShamsi (CEO of Human Rights Sector in CDA)

Article in Brief: A film competition to raise awareness on children human rights is launched by CDA.

Being a mother of three has made me realize the blessing of having a safe, protective and nurturing environment for my children. Living in the UAE makes me thankful that my children can grow up enjoying all their rights as recognized by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child[1].  Seeing the continued efforts being made in the UAE to invest in its citizens including those most vulnerable gives me great confidence in the future of my children. However, ensuring the protection of our children’s rights is not only the obligation of the country; it’s an individual obligation from me, you, and society at large. There is so only much the government can do, and the rest is in our hands. Family is the first safety net which surrounds our children so teaching the values of human rights will only ensure that my children and everyone else’s can live in peace and tolerance.

To engage the youth sector, the Community Development Authority of Dubai (CDA) has launched a Human Rights Short Film competition to instill human rights values in the youth through engaging them in a creative process. Through this competition and focusing on children’s rights, CDA aims to spread awareness on the main rights categories afforded to children such as the right to education, the right to healthcare, the right to protection from abuse and neglect, and the rights of children with disabilities. CDA hopes that students in universities and higher education institutions will use this opportunity to allow their creative talents to translate those key children’s rights messages in ways which will engage a wider audience and which ultimately contributes to the development of society as a whole. As the CEO of Human Rights Sector in CDA, I speak on CDA’s behalf when I say that we believe in the creative talent of our youth and we believe that they are innovative, resourceful and have a voice that deserves to be heard.

 So you might ask, how do we participate in the competition? The general terms and conditions are simple; the applicant should be a student currently studying at any university or college in the UAE. The timespan of the short film should be between 3-5 minutes. The main subject of the film should be one the themes mentioned above (the right to education, the right to healthcare, the right to protection from abuse and neglect, and the rights of children with disabilities).  A judging panel made up of prominent local directors will judge the submitted films. There will be three winners for each of the mentioned themes, and the first place winner will receive a cash prize of AED 25,000, second place winner will receive a cash prize of AED 20,000, and third place winner will receive a cash prize of AED 15,000. This will bring the total number of winners up to 12 people, increasing the chances for more people to win!

The script, the scenario, and the way the film is directed is entirely up to the students, so if you fit the criteria and you would like to explore your filming talents, join the competition and let your imagination run free to spread more awareness.  We look forward to hearing your voice. Happy filming!

For more information about the general terms and conditions and how to submit your entry please visit: http://www.cda.gov.ae/en/HumanRights/Pages/Student_Contest.aspx

For further inquiries feel free to contact us at:

 human.rights@cda.gov.ae  or 04-4493251

[1] http://www.unicef.org/crc/