CyberDodo and Children’s Rights Edupack

Background

The "International Convention on the Rights of the Child" needed to be re-written, because it has not always been easy for adults to do their duty towards children and protect them. CyberDodo has made a simple observation; there are many summits and conferences each year attended by committed and motivated people who write reports in order to propose practical improvements to the unacceptable situation of children worldwide.

Various organizations, associations and NGOs work in the field and each of them are involved within their areas of action in a particular aspect of children's rights; however, it seems that the main stakeholders, the children, do not have sufficient information resources and, more importantly, they do not have sufficient access to them.

In a bid to help children know their rights and in response to Article 42 of the Convention (see the episode on this subject), CyberDodo has decided to use several ways to inform children of their rights, using especially adapted media through reading and play.

By nature, children want to discover the universe, they have a tremendous need to open up and explore the outside world; we must nurture this need for knowledge. The 40 episodes of "CyberDodo and children's rights" were designed as stories, with each story ending well and not generating anxiety. Children discover the Convention and its articles through meetings and adventures that CyberDodo will live through, together with children from all around the world.

The goal is for children to explore their fundamental human rights through play, not only to be able to take full possession of them, but also to demand their application, as necessary.

CyberDodo is for everyone, parents, children, teachers, as well as abused children who have not been able to speak out, so that they know that what they are going through is not normal and that adults do not have all rights over them, contrary to what they are told or what they may believe.

Learning fun

It is on this basis that CyberDodo wanted to design a starter programme on Children's Rights, with regard to ecology, awakening the child's awareness, his desire to play as well as his desire to learn and build his future by understanding and protecting the world in which he lives, respectively Rights he is granted internationally.

The CyberDodo multidisciplinary team has therefore developed games that entertain children while they educate them. The central figure is of course CyberDodo. He is straightforward, may ask any questions and do all kinds of silly things, according to this principle, children are allies; they see themselves in CyberDodo and share his adventures. He is a key figure who children can easily identify with and who causes a reaction.

A reaction of great importance, as it will enable adults in charge to verbally link together and thus start a dialogue on the topics covered in the 40 episodes of the series on the Rights of the Child (66 respectively for CyberDodo and the Environment).

The CyberDodo Edupack is based on this dialogue and the interaction that it creates. Adults and children become world players, they realise their importance and the primary aspect of their fundamental rights as well as the world around them.