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Meet Claire Bradley, 18, of Northern Ireland
By Suzanne Freeman
Claire lives in the countryside near Belfast, Northern Ireland. She is a Catholic and came to the UN Special Session on Children to discuss children's rights to live in a peaceful society. Her issue of nonviolence also includes protection from physical punishment from parents.
"Young people have a right to educate their parents that it's not the best way to discipline," Claire said, citing an article of the children's rights document approved by a working session on children's issues 12 years ago. "We have a right to share our opinions with others."
As a child's rights activist, Claire was chosen to be a delegate because of her work with Save the Children. She was chosen out of 100 applicants by her peers.
She works with a group in Belfast to raise awareness of racism in Northern Ireland.
"Both communities [Protestants and Catholics] are not treated well by the police," she said. "They should be more child friendly. They should explain their actions and not be so intimidating. Their treatment of kids in Northern Ireland is disgusting."
Her idea of a successful session is to be heard.
"The voices of youth are getting stronger," she told Scholastic News. "We have a more educated opinion and we are voicing it."
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Photo: Suzanne Freeman
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