Children advocate for an education in Brazil

Cidade Olimpica in Brazil is a community of 64,000 people where 30 per cent of children do not go to school. There is just one public school and two pre-schools. Some of the shortfall is covered by community-based organisations but on a precarious basis.

Plan staff held a one-day workshop inviting children to participate in an education campaign by mapping the children and adolescents who are not in school in Cidade Olimpica, and the neighbouring community of Reinaldo Tavares, and the reasons.

The children were supported in this by teachers, Plan staff and parents. Some of the reasons highlighted during the three-week exercise included lack of school facilities, child labour, domestic violence, parents neglecting them and the lack of birth registration.

The highlight of the campaign was a demonstration. More than 700 children, mothers, community leaders and Plan staff walked through the community calling out the results of the mapping and asked for access to a better quality education.

The children, supported by the teachers, will now write a report of their finding and deliver it to top government officials and Plan. Each copy will be accompanied by letters demanding concrete actions to improve education and the protection of children's rights in Cidade Olimpica and Reinaldo Tavares.

This is an example of genuine advocacy action by and with children interviewing other children and their parents to know why they are out of school, helping to rasie awareness around the lack of education in their community.