Sharjah Baby Friendly Office (SBFO), has launched the ‘World’s Largest Lesson’ global initiative targeting private schools and government nurseries in Sharjah.

The initiative is a part of SBFO’s ‘Child-Friendly Schools’ project, launched last August in partnership with the Sharjah Education Council (SEC) and Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), and in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

‘World’s Largest Lesson’ is a global initiative that aims to familiarise students with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This year, the initiative will dedicate a ‘lesson’ to teach students all about the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to mark the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention, celebrated on November 20 every year.

SBFO announced the initiative to 46 private school principals and public nursery directors at a discussion session organised at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The session was attended by HE Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairman of SPEA and Maryam Jaber Al Shamsi, Director of Early Childhood Department at SEC.

The session was moderated by Dr Essam Ali, Social Policy Specialist at UNICEF Gulf Area Office and Suaad Al Marzooqi, Head of Sharjah Child Friendly City Project Unit at SBFO.

It discussed steps to ensure a comprehensive educational environment for children, and increase their awareness about children’s rights, as contained in the 54 articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. The session also addressed misconceptions about child rights, and how to distinguish rights from needs and desires.

Participants shared ideas and suggestions that can be adapted in schools and nurseries to raise student awareness of the Convention and child rights, and ways to incorporate the ‘World’s Largest Lesson’ initiative within the school curricula.

Suggestions included conducting interactive activities, panel discussions and workshops and producing plays and videos that highlight child rights in a way that is appropriate for varying age groups. Participants also suggested including pupils at all stages of the preparations for celebrating Universal Children’s Day on November 20, to raise their awareness about the most important issues facing children around the world.

Participants learnt how to document the activities held at their schools and nurseries by uploading them to the ‘World’s largest Lesson’ global interactive map.

The workshop also introduced the Child Friendly Schools project which aims to develop an educational system of international excellence in Sharjah, which will address all the elements that influence the wellbeing and rights of a child as a prime beneficiary of the teaching process.

The Child Friendly Schools project will address four key elements: Raising awareness on child rights, supporting children’s participation in school and community initiatives, protecting children from all forms of violence and abuse, and the integration of children with special needs into mainstream education.