Peace Education and Human Rights
Primary 4 · Social and Religious Studies
Peace Education and Human Rights
Lesson 4 of 5
15 min
Mukamana has not come to school for a week. When Keza meets her in the village, Mukamana is carrying a heavy basket of charcoal to sell. "My aunt says I must work all day now," she says quietly. "I miss school."
Keza tells her teacher. The teacher talks to the village leader, and together they visit Mukamana's aunt. The next Monday, Mukamana is back in class. Keza did the right thing: she told a trusted adult.
Child abuse is when a person, usually an adult or an older child, harms a child's body, feelings or safety, or treats a child in a way that damages the child's future. Every child has the right to be protected from abuse.
| Kind of abuse | What it means |
|---|---|
| Physical abuse | Hurting a child's body: hard beating, kicking, burning or anything that causes injuries. |
| Emotional abuse | Hurting a child's feelings again and again: insults, threats, frightening the child or always saying "You are useless." |
| Sexual abuse | When someone touches a child's private parts, asks the child to touch theirs, shows the child pictures of private parts, or tells the child to keep such things a secret. |
| Child labour | Making a child do heavy or dangerous work, or work that stops the child from going to school. |
| Abandonment | When the adult who should care for a child leaves the child alone with nobody to look after them. |
Helping with light work at home, such as sweeping, fetching water or feeding the chickens, is not child labour. It is part of being a family.
Child neglect is when the adults who should care for a child do not give the child the care they are able to give: enough food, clean clothes, a safe place to sleep, medical care when sick, and a chance to go to school.
A friend may need help if they are always hungry or sad, have injuries they will not explain, are afraid to go home, or stop coming to school. Be kind to your friend and tell a trusted adult.
Important
Who can help?
If something bad has happened to you, it is never your fault. Keep telling until someone helps you.
Tip
NO, GO, TELL! Say NO. GO away to a safe place. TELL a trusted adult, and keep telling until someone helps.
Answer: When the adults who should care for a child do not give the care they are able to give, such as food, clothes, medical care or schooling.
Answer: Any two of: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, child labour, abandonment.
Answer: No. It is light work that helps the family, and he still goes to school.
Answer: Say NO, GO away, and TELL a trusted adult.
Answer: 116.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The body-safety rules and the rest of the lesson are written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Someone makes you feel scared or unsafe. Put the three steps in order.
Tap the cards in the right order.
