Childhood Unbound
A seven-unit course on the core issues regarding children’s rights and child labor. Students will become informed about the supply chain, children’s rights policies, child labor issues and the basic pillars of human rights as a whole.
Under-resourced school districts may access a free license to the Childhood Unbound curriculum by using the code NOFEE during checkout.
© U.R. Romano/Lewis Hine
Unit 1
Introduction to Child Labor and Child Rights
This unit is dedicated to helping students begin their journey to become knowledgeable about the core issues regarding children’s rights and child labor. They will become informed about the supply chain, children’s rights policies, child labor issues and the basic pillars of human rights as a whole.
Unit 2
Human Trafficking
Students will learn about the many forms of human trafficking such as forced labor, hazardous/exploitative child labor, sex trafficking, forced marriage, involuntary domestic servitude, and child soldiers. Using the framework of the 4 P’s (prevention, protection, prosecution, and creating policy), students will evaluate current solutions implemented to eliminate human trafficking.
© U.R. Romano courtesy of the Thomas J. Dodd Center/University of Connecticut
© U.R. Romano courtesy of the Thomas J. Dodd Center/University of Connecticut
Unit 3
Girls
Using global indicators of gender equality, such as the Gender Inequality Index and Sustainable Development Goal 5, students will be able to identify institutional and societal barriers that hinder the realization of girls’ human rights. This unit will introduce students to current programs in place that empower girls and actionable steps toward ending discrimination and violence against girls.
Unit 4
Environment
This unit will help students to understand that the impacts of environmental degradation are often felt most by the people who are contributing to it the least. It will introduce students to heroes in the fight against climate change and how to be informed consumers to affect change in their local communities.
© U.R. Romano courtesy of the Thomas J. Dodd Center/University of Connecticut
© U.R. Romano courtesy of the Thomas J. Dodd Center/University of Connecticut
Unit 5
Agriculture
In this unit, students will investigate issues associated with agriculture – the most prevalent and most hazardous source of child labor in the United States – such as health effects and lack of access to education. Students will investigate the relationship between agriculture and migration patterns.
Unit 6
Education
According to data collected by UNICEF, despite increased access to education, there are still an estimated 617 million children and adolescents around the world who are unable to reach minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics. In this unit, students will learn about the societal and economic benefits of a quality education, barriers, and potential solutions to the global learning crisis.
© Steve Button
© U. R. Romano courtesy of the Thomas J. Dodd Center/University of Connecticut
Unit 7
Getting Started
In the culminating unit of the curriculum, students will learn about ongoing campaigns, such as The 100 Million Campaign, that are leading the movement in advocating for children’s rights around the world. This unit focuses on actionable steps that youth can take to better their local and global communities.