Children Rights and Global Citizenship: an Approach from the educational Community

Abstract

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is a key tool for children's and adolescent's education. It should be considered as a universal frame of reference which contributes to children's training for exercising their citizenship rights. However, very little is known about how the children's rights and global citizenship are integrated into the Spanish educational system. The present research aims at identifying the cognitive, methodological and attitudinal dimensions of the educational community training needs related to the CRC. The qualitative study involved 124 people who represented the educational community (students, teachers, parents). They participated in 14 focus groups which were carried out in 11 Autonomous Communities throughout Spain. The content analysis of the data shows a limited alignment of the CRC in educational institutions, as well as a partial knowledge of it by the members of the educational community. Needs are identified in the lack of teaching-learning strategies of educators for encouraging children’s autonomy and participation. Finally, the difficulty of positioning children and adolescents as subjects of rights with faculties to exercise their citizenship was noticed.