1. Inform students that children are affected by war on a daily basis. Hand out the article entitled "Small Victories: Children's rights under the International Criminal Court". The article may be read aloud as a class or independently. Have them respond to the following questions:
- Why do you think some countries strongly support the protection of children while others do not?
- What are some of the ways in which children are being victimized through warfare?
2. Give students a copy of the case studies (based on true events) and the summarized version of the International Criminal Court Statutes that relate to children. Ask students to compare the case studies and determine which violations have been committed against these children. Students will use the included organizer.
3. Review the activity and engage students in a discussion about the role the International Court plays in protecting children from these crimes.
- How successful will the ICC be in protecting the rights of children?
- What challenges will the ICC encounter in enforcing laws?
- Do you think there should be any special measures taken for children who are required to come before the court? What should these special measures be?
4. Inform students of the special treatment that will be afforded to children involved in ICC procedures.
This lesson is a great lead into a more specific subject such as child soldiers, conflict diamonds, coltan, child trafficking, etc.
