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Children's rights: Schools urged not to punish protesting students

Schools are being urged to allow students to take part in protests – such as those focused on climate change – and to teach children about their rights.

It comes as Amnesty International has published a guide for students written by Professor Geraldine Van Bueren, one of the original drafters of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and actress and campaigner Angelina Jolie.

Know Your Rights and Claim Them explains what child rights are, how they came in to being, how governments are failing to uphold them, and how young people can protect themselves and others.

At the same time, Amnesty is calling on UK schools to commit to allowing children to take part in protests without the fear of punishment if they take place during school hours. It wants to see protection from punishment for those “taking action in defence of human rights while in school”.

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