It’s important that children are educated on the issue of human rights and how they must take responsibility for it in order to protect themselves and their peers.

Pacific Islands Development Forum Coordinator Programme Management, Afsrin Ali says human rights awareness campaigns have been taken out to schools.

“Apart part from adults, it’s the children that are very much unaware of what Human Rights is and I think it’s very important to start at that level. To instill awareness of basic human rights in our children so they can become more aware of it as adults.”

Ali was speaking at a conference on the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights today.

The commemoration of the declaration is marked for the 10th of December but major celebrations are in the pipeline for the Pacific on the 16th of this month.

Meanwhile, it’s believed a strong human rights system contributes to the health of communities, families and workplaces by supporting a society that values belonging and security for all.