UN Marks 20 Years of Convention on Rights of the Child

Ceremonies are taking place around the world to mark the 20^th anniversary of a landmark agreement protecting children.

The UN says the Convention on the Rights of the Child has transformed the way children are treated. But it says a billion children in the world still go without food, shelter or healthcare and that millions are facing lives of poverty and abuse.

On the eve of events, a British charity warned that millions of the world’s children have no parents or family around them.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), signed in 1989, guarantees children the right to life, to education, the right to play and to be protected from abuse. It has the widest international support of any human rights treaty – ratified by 193 countries, with only the US and Somalia yet to give their backing.

The UN says the achievements of the convention have been “remarkable” – 30% more children live beyond the age of five and more than 80% of children now attend primary school.

Elizabeth Gibbons, the deputy director of the UN children’s agency UNISEF, said the impact of the convention on children’s lives was clear.

“At any time across the word, in any city, in any media, you’ll find a story about children’s rights, that’s the big change”, she said.

“Yes, there are many problems not resolved, but now children matter, they matter to society, they matter to the media, they matter to politicians.”

But the UN says 24,000 children under the age of five still die every day from preventable disease and illness and that governments must not cut back on provision for children in times of financial hardship.

1. According to the statement of the United Nations Organization, the Convention on the Rights of the Child_____________

A. helped all the children of developing countries.

B. improved the attitude to the children.

C. caused the growth of the number of children who face lives of poverty and abuse.

D. helped millions of children to find a family.

2. Among the rights guaranteed by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) there is NO right to __________

A. life.

B. education.

C. work.

D. be protected from abuse.

3. It can be inferred from the text that the US and Somalia ______

A. have already joined the convention.

B. are not going to support the convention.

C. at first supported the convention, but later refused to participate to it.

D. are planning to join the convention.

4. Elizabeth Gibbons, the deputy director of the UN children’s agency UNICEF, believes that _________

A. the convention influenced children’s lives significantly.

B. media don’t pay attention to the rights of children.

C. the majority of the problems has already been resolved.

D. society and politicians avoid thinking and speaking about children’s rights.

5. According to the article, the disease and illness the children under the age of five die from _____

A. can’t be prevented.

B. can be stopped from occurring pills.

C. can be cured with only expensive pills.

D. is the feature of financial hardships.

Responsibilities

You can do your part by helping your family, teachers, neighbors and friends, by trying your hardest and doing your best in everything you do.

Lesson 7.

 

 

AGE

Basic Vocabulary

Translate these words into your own language:

baby	………………..	generation	…………….
young	………………..	adult	…………….
child	…………………	middle-aged	…………….
teenager	………………….	old	……………

AGES

Match the expressions on the left with those on the right:

1. She’s 3 days old.	a. She’s still a child.
2. She’s 18 months.	b. She’s a newborn baby.
3. She’s 8.	c. She’s a teenager.
4. She’s 14.	d. She’s an adult.
5. She’s 20.	e. She’s a toddler.

Do the same with the following.

6. He’s 28.	f. He’s in his early forties.
7. He’s 35.	g. He’s fairly elderly.
8. He’s 48.	h. He’s in his mid-thirties.
9. He’s 48.	i. He’s middle-aged.
10. He’s 85.	j. He’s in his late twenties.

Babies and children

Basic vocabulary

Complete the following sentences with these words:

pregnant	feed	born	newborn
healthy	toys	birth	pregnancy

1. I’m going to stop work when the baby is ………

2. Women shouldn’t smoke during …….

3. Julie’s staying in hospital for a few more days. It was quite a difficult ……...

4. Have you heard? Jane’s ……….. again.

5. Looking after a …….. baby is more difficult than you think.

6. I’m exhausted. I have to get up three times every night to …. The baby.

7. I don’t mind whether it’s a boy or a girl as long as it’s …….

8. Don’t forget to bring some ………. for the children to play with.

Childhood memories

Match the sentences below with the pictures on the right:

I remember ……..

1. playing with toy cars.
2. playing with dolls.
3. collecting stamps.
4. playing board games with the family.
5. learning to ride a bike.
6. skipping in the playground at school.
7. flying my kite.
8. skate-boarding.

Good or bad behavior

Read this text and then put the coloured expressions into the correct group below:

I wish our children were more like my brother’s children. His children are so well-behaved – they’re so polite and they seem to do what they’re told. Our children are so naughty all the time. Tommy’s always getting into trouble at school – last week he broke a window in one of the classrooms. And my daughter Jenny’s no better – last week she got told off by her teacher for drawing on the desk in the classroom. I do love my children very much – I just wish they could learn to behave themselves a bit better.

being good:	……………………….	………………………..	…………………………
not being good:	……………………….	………………………..	…………………………

Rules