Children all over the world experience violations of their
rights. On some occasions this is a result of an individual (for
example, a parent, a teacher, a family member, a
neighbour, a stranger) making a conscious or unconscious
choice to violate a child’s rights. Examples include: a
teacher sexually molesting a child, a parent physically
abusing a child, a neighbour kidnapping a child.
Throughout this play-based learning manual these kinds of
violations are referred to as individual rights violations.
On other occasions, a child’s rights are violated by a
governing system (for example, a law, a school system, a
cultural norm, a religious value). These systems create,
support and endorse rules or laws that violate children’s
rights. Examples include: forced sterilization of children and
adults with disabilities, government restrictions on free
speech, discrimination in employment and education, and
policies that discourage parents from wanting or keeping a
female child. Throughout this manual these kinds of
violations are referred to as systemic rights violations