- Children and Young People’s Commissioner hosts assembly on rights for primary-aged children.
- World Cup winner Rose Reilly and girls from South Morningside Primary School share experiences of tackling discrimination in film.
- Children empowered and inspired to act as human rights defenders.
by Lucy Ashton
Thousands of children from all over Scotland joined the Children and Young People’s Commissioner at a special assembly to learn more about the right not to be discriminated against.
Commissioner Nicola Killean hosted the assembly for primary-aged children alongside Oscar, 14, a member of her Young Advisors group. The online assembly, with BSL interpretation, was delivered in partnership with learning platform e-Sgoil.
During the assembly, children watched a film the Commissioner made with football pioneer Rose Reilly, 71, and a young girls’ football team talking about their experiences of tackling discrimination.
The girls, from South Morningside Primary School, won the Edinburgh Schools Cup last year, but were shocked when they received a much smaller trophy than the winning boys’ team. They challenged the organisers and were eventually presented with a bigger trophy.
Rose, pictured left, shares stories with the girls about the discrimination she faced as a trailblazing female footballer.
When she began playing in the early 1960s, she had to pretend to be a boy and faced ‘the belt’ for playing football at school. Later, she was banned by the SFA for playing in, or for Scotland after she moved to France, then Italy, to become a professional. She won the World Cup with her adopted country, Italy, in 1984.
During the assembly, children also took part in a quiz, and afterwards could design their own rights shield.
Commissioner Nicola said: “Today’s assembly was an absolute joy. We took an important rights issue – the right not to be discriminated against – and made it accessible, empowering, and relevant for primary-aged children. The girls and Rose are an inspiration to children not to accept discrimination, and they showed them how they can act as human rights defenders.
“Children left the assembly knowing that they are not expected to have all the answers, and they don’t have to tackle discrimination alone. They know to tell trusted adults who will support them.”
Oscar said: “I really enjoyed hosting the assembly. I couldn’t believe how quickly the time went. The video showed how the girls persevered to get their rights, and also that if you are being discriminated against, you can always get help.”
The 30-minute assembly was the second the Commissioner has held this school year, with the first on World Children’s Day on 20 November.