HKU Study on Children's Rights Education: Policy Implications for Hong Kong

Children's Rights Education: 

Hong Kong's Obligations Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Puja Kapai, John Bacon-Shone, Annelotte Walsh, Fay Wong
The University of Hong Kong

As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), Hong Kong’s obligation under Article 42 “to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known by appropriate and active means, to adults and children alike” should have directly influenced both education policy and training and practice of educators. However, to date, Children’s Rights Education (CRE) is seldom incorporated as an element of teacher training, is not a significant part of the school curriculum and is not entirely part of the school ethos across most Hong Kong schools and educational institutions.  

     In the only comprehensive study of its kind in Hong Kong, a multidisciplinary team of scholars from the University of Hong Kong examined the extent to which the HKSAR Government has met its Article 42 obligations. In particular, the study explored the current state of CRE implementation in Hong Kong schools and compared the pedagogy, policy and practices in Hong Kong against international best practices identified through an extensive literature review and qualitative surveys. Drawing on the findings, the research team proposes recommendations for structural and substantive improvements to Hong Kong’s policies in relation to fulfilling its Article 42 obligations pertaining to CRE under the UNCRC. This policy brief provides an overview of the key research findings.  Click here to download the policy brief and here for the Executive Summary.