Edmund Rice International

ERI has leant its support to a written submission by Franciscans International (FI) to the Human Rights Council on the plight of albino children in Tanzania. Albinism is a genetic disorder characterized by lack of melanin pigment in the skin, hair, and eyes. Albinos make up about one in 4,000 people in South Africa and […]

Most nations have laws that prohibit child labour. Yet throughout the world, children in large numbers can be seen toiling in sweatshops, hauling concrete, tilling fields, plucking garbage or peddling shoes. Some children work for as little as six cents a day, sometimes less, according to the International Labour Office. Photo: A Bolivian boy wanders […]

Children from Lebanon, through an initiative of the non-governmental organisation World Vision, came together in order to write and submit a submission to the Human Rights Council as part of the review of Lebanon, held on 10 November 2010. This was the first time that children have directly participated in the UPR process. The report […]

From Ireland to Sierra Leone, from Kimberley to Brisbane and from many places in between, students from Edmund Rice Schools around the world demonstrated their solidarity and support for the initiative of the group of Indian children to cycle to their National Capital to urge their government to honour their funding committment to enable all […]

There’s not a lot these two countries have in common, apart from spectacular mountains and some German churches, but they can work well together. Switzerland hosts the world capital of human rights agencies (in Geneva) and Papua New Guinea hosts Callan Services, a vigorous branch of the Edmund Rice Network that promotes the rights of […]

Statue in New Delhi commemorating the ‘Salt March’ led by Gandhi as part of the struggle for Indian independence As part of the campaign to urge governments to honour their commitments to the Millennium Development Goals students from St Johns Christian Brothers College in Chandigarh (themselves from marginalised and vulnerable families) will be joining with […]

Young people representing over 30 countries held their 7th International Summit at the United Nations in Geneva. ERI had the privilege of participating with these dynamic young minds. Professional inputs were provided by a series of individuals whose job was to motivate the youth to discussion of relevant Human Rights topics. This was very well […]

A couple of articles on corporal punishment elsewhere on this website have attracted some comment and discussion. Whilst it is undeniable that corporal punishment was once relatively common in many Christian Brothers Schools (as it was in most schools and in the broader community at the time) and whilst it was also the case that […]

Corporal punishment was banned in Kenyan schools in 2001. Despite this, the practice continues to be widespread. Many teachers, parents and caregivers remain unconvinced of the value of alternative methods of disciplining children and the legal system appears unwilling to deal with any teacher who violates the rights of children in this matter. Belief in […]

The joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review of Kenya to which ERI contributed commented on the disparities and the gaps between rural and urban zones in providing access to education. The reality of that disparity was brought home to ERN co-ordinator Johstone Shisanya and Br Martin Binenya on a recent visit to a rural […]