LINC Programme to Celebrate International Children’s Day with Webinar on Children’s Rights and Inclusion

The LINC Programme is proud to celebrate International Children’s Day on Wednesday, November 20th, with a free webinar featuring guest speaker Bronagh Byrne, Professor of Disability & Children’s Rights at Queen’s University Belfast. 

The Leadership for Inclusion in the Early Years (LINC) Programme will celebrate International Children’s Day on Wednesday, November 20th, with a free webinar titled “Rights, Voices & Visibility: Recognising All Children as Rights-Holders.” The event will feature Bronagh Byrne, Professor of Disability & Children’s Rights at Queen’s University Belfast, who will discuss the importance of recognising all children—especially those from marginalised groups—as rights-holders.

International Children’s Day serves as a global reminder of the fundamental rights every child deserves. It is a day dedicated to highlighting the need for children’s voices to be heard and their rights to be upheld.

Joining Prof. Byrne for the event will be Dr. Lisha O’Sullivan, Head of Reflective Pedagogy at Mary Immaculate College; Prof. Emer Ring, Dean of Early Childhood and Teacher Education at Mary Immaculate College; and Claire Butterly, National Co-ordinator of the LINC Programme. Together, they will explore how early childhood educators and policymakers can challenge assumptions, amplify children’s voices, and create inclusive, rights-based education systems for all children.

Prof. Byrne has worked extensively on the application of international conventions, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. She will discuss the need to view all children, especially those from marginalised groups, as rights-holders:

“Children in early childhood are often not viewed with rights in mind or asked about what is important to them. Young children from marginalised groups tend to be particularly silenced. The result can be a disconnect between law, policy, practice, and lived experiences. The onus is on us as adults to engage proactively with, and listen to, all young children so we can develop more responsive policies and programmes with rights at their core.”

Building on Prof. Byrne’s insights, Dr. Lisha O’Sullivan, Head of Reflective Pedagogy at Mary Immaculate College, expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming webinar, saying, “We are delighted to welcome Prof. Bronagh Byrne for this important webinar on children’s rights. Her work on the right to inclusive education aligns strongly with the LINC Programme’s core principles, which emphasise the significance of inclusion across all educational practices. We look forward to learning more from Prof. Byrne’s research on how rights-based approaches can transform educational systems to ensure all children, particularly those from marginalised groups, have their voices amplified.”

In line with the growing recognition of children as rights-bearers, Prof. Emer Ring, Dean of Early Childhood and Teacher Education at Mary Immaculate College, emphasises the crucial role of early childhood education in promoting these rights. “The recognition of children as rights-holders marks a transformative change in our understanding of childhood. Childhood in western democratic societies has moved from a construct of the child as dependent on adults to a competent, agentic rights-bearer,” says Prof. Ring. “The UN Convention affirms children’s rights in education, civil, social, cultural, and political spheres. The LINC and LINC+ CPD Programmes are grounded in a rights-based philosophy, recognising each child as a citizen with enforceable rights. Given that the rights of many children worldwide are still compromised, we are proud to celebrate International Children’s Day and remind ourselves that recognising children as right-holders comes with the responsibility to act.”

As the conversation around children’s rights continues to grow, Claire Butterly, National Co-ordinator of the LINC Programme, underscores the responsibility of educators to champion these rights within their practice. “Early childhood is a critical time for instilling in children the understanding that they are rights holders, and that their voice matters. Aistear and Síolta encourage educators to reflect on how they view and support children’s rights. Through collaboration between educators and parents, we advocate for children’s rights and ensure their voices are heard. Within the LINC Programme and the LINC+ CPD Programme, we place great emphasis on children as rights holders, inspiring our students and INCOs to uphold these rights and amplify each child’s voice.”

The LINC Programme is excited to bring these important conversations to a wider audience. This webinar will offer valuable insights into embedding children’s rights within early education and provide an opportunity for all attendees to explore how they can ensure every child’s voice is heard and respected.

Registration for the event is now open. To reserve your spot and join the celebration, please click here.

For further information please contact:
Helena Thompson
Marketing, Communications & Recruitment Officer, LINC Programme
T: +353 86 152 5625
E: Helena.Thompson@mic.ul.ie

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