CITIZENSHIP
Deirdre
Coffey from
the British Red
Cross argues
why teaching international
humanitarian law as part
of citizenship is important
and looks at how it can be
tackled in the classroom
Armed
RMED CONFLICTS are
A
regrettably a prevalent feature
of human existence. Although
manifest in various forms, a
common trait of all conflicts is their
devastating impact on humankind.
It was a determination to limit the
human cost of conflict, both on non-combatants and
with the
civilians, which led to the formation of international
humanitarian law (IHL), or the “rules of war”, that
apply in times of armed conflict.
In the 60th anniversary year of the Geneva
Conventions, the British Red Cross has teamed up with
international legal practice, Allen and Overy, to launch
an education resource for teachers on IHL and wider
issues of fairness and justice, as part of the citizenship
truth
‘
GCSE.
IHL, mainly contained within the four Geneva
Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols,
serves to protect those who are not, or no longer, taking its underlying principles of non-discrimination and schools. As a distinct and separate body of law to Students are invited to decide, on the strength of the
part in fighting and to restrict the means and methods restraint have relevance to broader issues in the UK, human rights law, IHL has now been recognised by image, whether he is a civilian or a combatant; before
of warfare. such as gang and street violence. specific reference at key stage 4 in the citizenship discussing where he might live, what sort of role he has
Every state in the world has agreed to be bound A young person in the UK today, with greater curriculum and the inclusion of IHL in the citizenship in everyday life, how armed conflict might affect him,
by the Geneva Conventions and, from subsequent access to the media and more interaction with different studies GCSE, which the first group of students will sit and how other people might treat him either as a victim
obligations, to encourage the study of IHL by civilian cultures, is ever more exposed to, and affected by, in summer 2010. or a perpetrator.
populations – including young people in schools. conflict and its consequences – even for those not Studying IHL at school provides a means to After their initial discussion, teachers can ask
The UK does not currently have an armed conflict directly caught up in violence. This is supported by understanding the complex nature of armed conflict students whether their initial thoughts would change if
within its own boundaries, but its armed forces are recent research which found that young people have a and its implications for human dignity, whether for they knew, for example, that he was using his father’s
involved in military operations overseas. And, while desire to learn more about conflict-related issues. injured soldiers, prisoners of war, civilians or others. It gun to protect his sister; or, alternatively, that he was
IHL only applies to situations of armed conflict, This all makes it important that IHL is taught in opens the way to discussing a wide range of topics with carrying ammunition in his backpack. Students can then
young people, while being able to illustrate its practical discuss whether this information may affect whether he
Notes and jottings
application. By learning about the protection given to is considered a civilian or otherwise, and therefore what
victims of armed conflict under IHL, young people will sort of protection he is entitled to under IHL.
be encouraged to explore concepts of fairness, restraint The lesson plan includes a variety of other photos
and non-discrimination. Studying IHL can support the – some depicting groups of young people or soldiers in
Arts, IT, selection and English!
development of communication, media literacy and various scenarios. All of the photographs are real and
critical-thinking skills, as well as challenging young at the end of the lesson the teacher can reveal the facts
people’s preconceptions and values. behind them; for instance, that a young boy pointing
DO YOU work in any of these London Boroughs? Yet, the county’s grammar schools have only Through education around conflict issues, there his gun at a photographer is a child soldier in Liberia at
Harrow, Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, 4,458 places for September 2010. The government is the opportunity to equip young people with an the end of the second Liberian civil war; that a group of
Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, has specifically banned the expansion of grammar understanding of humanitarian principles, develop a young boys standing by a barbed wire fence are child
City of Westminster, or City of London? It’s a schools. The Conservatives have also promised to concern for the protection of human dignity, and soldiers at a rehabilitation centre in Burundi; that three
significant list because these are the areas where John expand popular schools – unless they are grammar ultimately to limit the impact of conflict and its soldiers in the snow are taking part in an IHL training
Lyon’s Charity, part of the Harrow School Foundation schools. So where does that leave the 655 Kent consequences. course and evacuating a wounded soldier in Russia (see
(www.johnlyonscharity.org.uk) works. It spends children of whom Emily could be one? Rightly or For teachers new to IHL, the prospect of taking image above).
hundreds of thousands every year making the arts wrongly, they’ve been told all their lives that their on such a topic in the classroom might be daunting. The lesson plans provide ideas for additional activity
more accessible to those need help – largely school future depends on getting into a grammar school However, our new education resource comprises four and homework opportunities. Students could be asked
students. and they thought they’d done it. Imagine the lesson plans – including photography, scenarios, activity to devise their own “Charter on the principles of
Last week, for instance, the charity disappointment and blow to morale and suggestions, ideas for homework, extension activities, warfare” based on their evaluation on what protection
launched its Access to the Arts Fund, self-esteem. and details of further information resources – making it and treatment is appropriate for civilians, including
which will give grants of up to £1,000 easy for teachers to pick and choose sections depending children, in armed conflict situations.
to primary schools wanting to take I’m always delighted to hear of schools on class size or time allowances. By focusing on the human impact of armed conflicts
children out to theatres, galleries, offering to share savvy student IT For example, the first lesson plan explores the rather than on their causes, teachers can explore
concerts and other arts events. skills with older – or other – people ambiguities of identity in armed conflicts. Students potentially controversial topics without taking a position,
The charity also makes small in the wider community and here’s discuss an individual or a group’s identity based on thereby avoiding bias and politicisation. This provides
grants to organisations, gives bursary another example. Bentley Wood perceptions of a picture card, only to have to re-evaluate the space to generate discussion with sensitivity to the
support to needy independent school High School for Girls, a maths their initial assumptions when presented with additional needs and experiences of your students. SecEd
students living in the wonderfully and computer college in Harrow, is information. This will encourage students to examine
named “beneficial area”, and sponsors running introductory computer courses preconceptions and explore multiple perspectives • Deirdre Coffey is a senior education advisor with the
the new Chelsea Academy. for members of the Harrow U3A around the scenarios by discussing and debating with British Red Cross.
I was at Shakespeare’s Globe for (University of the Third Age). Courses their peers.
the launch of the new fund and it was very lasting for five weeks are held weekly One of the photographs in the first lesson plans
Further information
encouraging to be in a room with so many from 4pm to 5.30pm with senior girls shows a young boy with a gun and a pink backpack. www.redcross.org.uk/justice
enthusiastic London teachers and so many providing one-to-one tuition.
providers of in-school and out-of-school The school also allows the U3A to
arts projects. Such a lot of dynamism and use its facilities for daytime courses
so much will to make things happen. out of term-time. For example, a
three-day “everyday word processing”
Emily (not her real name) is my cleaning course ran there at half-term. All very
lady’s granddaughter and she has just enlightened stuff and it makes such
passed her 11-plus. Excellent, I said, good sense.
thinking back a couple of decades to when
this indispensable woman first came to work What Made the Crocodile Cry? (OUP
for me and her daughter – Emily’s mother £8.99) is a lovely name for a book and I turned
– was a pupil at the local grammar school. to it gleefully when a review copy landed on
Yes, welcome to Kent, where selective my desk. I’m a sucker for books about the quirks
schooling is in our culture and our blood for better of English and used to love sharing wordy nuggets
or for worse. Kent has 33 of the country’s remaining in my English classes. In this new book, Susie Dent
164 grammar schools – about a fifth, and many more of Countdown fame tells us why good things “cut the
than any other local authority has. mustard”, why the bikini was named after a Pacific
Now I’m not about to make any profound points atoll, how exclamation and question marks came
about whether or not selective education is a good about, and where “on your tod” comes from. There’s a
or bad thing. But consider this. Emily has grown up whole term’s worth of fillers for English lessons here.
in an environment which values it. She has worked What would you do? Among the images used in the Red Cross resource are soldiers taking
hard to be one of the 5,113 girls and boys who have • Susan Elkin is a freelance education journalist and part in a field exercise as part of the ‘Senezh’ course on international humanitarian law in
passed the Kent test. And she is bright. former teacher. Russia (top). The image above shows soldiers captured by the Popular Army of Liberation
in Laos. The fate of the soldiers is unknown. Images produced courtesy of the ICRC
12 SecEd • November 12 2009
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