Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Concealed Weapons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Concealed Weapons - Essay Example Accordingly, the following arguments will present a case for why gun control and stricter gun laws are required; while at the same time presenting the case for why stricter gun laws will not necessarily improve the situation that has been thus far evidenced throughout society; relating to gun crimes and/or mass shootings. An argument that is used against the ability of an individual to use a bear a concealed weapons has to do with the actual wording of the Second Amendment. As such, the Second Amendment stipultes that guns are allowable as a means of maintining a militia; yet, the fact of the matter is that almost all individuals in society that wish to use the Second Amendment to justify guns and/or concealed weapons are in fact not a member of any state regulated militia. Instead, they are private citizens. This creates a unique problem as these individuals were never intended to own and carry weapons outside the constraints of what the Second Amendment stipulated they should be used for. According to a 1997 study of National Crime Victimization Survey data, "robbery and assault victims who used a gun to resist were less likely to be attacked or to suffer an injury than those who used any other methods of self-protection or those who did not resist at all Firstly, it is necessary to close the background check loopholes in order to keep guns out of dangerous hands. In general, most gun owners buy their guns legally and use them safely, whether for self-defense, hunting, or sport shooting. Yet too often, irresponsible and dangerous individuals have been able to easily get their hands on firearms. We must strengthen our efforts to keep guns from falling into wrong hands. Due to the fact that strict gun control laws have failed to have a positive affect in any of the jurisidictions they have been applied within, the reader is left to assume that creating an even stricter level of
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Molecular Biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Molecular Biology - Essay Example For monoclonal antibody, mice are immunised with purified protein. Mouse splenocytes are collected after the immunisation process and fused with myeloma cells. To obtain monoclonal antibodies individual B cells are fused to myeloma cells and isolated by serial dilution resulting to a fusion product or hybridoma cell line of which can produce one specific antibody for extended periods of time by tissue culture. These hybridomas can be screened and best clones cultured in standard tissue culture facilities. The hybridoma cell line obtained for a given antibody was injected into the peritoneal cavity of mice where it grew and simultaneously produces the antibodies. Ascetic fluid containing the antibodies was harvested from the peritoneal cavity after a period of time. One fusion may produce 1000hybridomas therefore one must choose the most appropriate. This might be the highest infinity mAb but could be the most stable, the least cross reacting, the highest specificity depending on what is required. The advantage of using monoclonal antibodies is that they are monospecific, they tend to reduce cross reactivity and useful in diagnostics such as tissue typing. They are highly reproducible, can use relatively impure antigens to immunise animas, theoretically have limitless supply and can manufacture using recombinant DNA technology plus phage display libraries to produce fully human antibodies of any specificity. Labelling antibodies is useful as it enables detection of antibodies. Currently, the most commonly used are fluorescent labels, enzyme labels, chemiluminescent labels and radioactive labels. These are sometimes amplified using Avidin-Biotin Conjugate system. Some common fluorescent labels include, Fluorescein isothiocyanate, DAPI, Phycoerithrin and Texas red. When using enzyme labels, an enzyme is covalently attached to the
Monday, September 9, 2019
Report on the Religious Life of Planet Earth Assignment
Report on the Religious Life of Planet Earth - Assignment Example This is despite the fact that people have different perspectives about the issue of religion. For establishing whether the individuals in the planet are religious and the contents of this religion, a criterion will has to be used for pointing out the various factors, which come into play about religion. The first criterion in this case is in relation to the different branches of religion. So what are the various branches of religion? In this case, there are two extremely significant branches. These are Christians and Muslims. In essence, these are the two significant religions in the world. There are other minor ones like Buddhism and Sikhism just but to mention a few (Tomoko, 2007). The other criteria, which can be established, are in relation to how the religions look like. This is also in relation to the elements, which are associated with these various diverse religions. For starters, in the case of the Christians, the most crucial element is The Bible. In the case of the Muslims , the Quran is considered the most salient element. These are Holy Books. From these books, the teachings of religion can be deduced (Harvey, 2000). These are the writings, which hold the most relevant information, which is associated with the religion. ... In this case, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is commemorated. This is something, which takes place on an annual basis. In the case of Muslims, there is the Idd festival, which is also a significant event on their calendar, which signifies the end of fasting (Tomoko, 2007). In all the religions which are known to be in existence, there is the perception that there is always a place where the good people in the world will go. In almost all cases, this place is termed as heaven. There are many good things, which are associated with this place. At the same time, it is the place where people are encouraged to aim at going in the event of their demise from the earth (Harvey, 2000). Similarly, there is also a place where the individuals who lived wretched lives will go. This place in almost all the religions is termed as hell and is the location the devil is believed to be living. The one intriguing and rather captivating thing is the belief system, which the people of these rel igions have come up with. This is especially in relation to the aforementioned locations. The believers believe that the places exist despite the fact that it has not been proven whether they exist or not (Harvey, 2000). The one thing, which this highlights, is that there is an undoubted amount of faith in the case of the individuals of the religions, which are existent in the earth. There are some functions, which are associated with religion. The first one in this case is that religion provides a means of interaction between the human beings and God. It is through religious activities that human beings can indeed get to communicate with God. Religion also serves to provide people with mental peace. Religion serves to console the human person despite
Sunday, September 8, 2019
Unanimous Jury Verdicts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Unanimous Jury Verdicts - Essay Example In common law jurisdictions, criminal verdicts must be unanimous in order to acquit or convict according to the North Western University journal (1972). The jury must arrive at an undivided opinion. Originally, the Supreme Court held unanimity as an essential feature of trial by the jury, however, in recent years, there is growing discretion in the states. In Apodaca v Oregon (1972),and Johnson v Louisiana (1972),convictions were reached on a less than unanimous vote, ten to two and nine to three respectively. In Ballew v Georgia (1978), Justice Powell reiterates that the fourteenth amendment did not impose the same requirements for juries on states that the sixth amendment did on the federal government. A recent article examining the effect of eliminating this unanimity rule concludes that, there may only be a small range of evidence in which its effects consistently appear, that is, when the prosecution/plaintiffââ¬â¢s case is not particularly weak or strong (North Western University, 1972). This discussion therefore makes a strong argument on the circumstances where the juryââ¬â¢s verdict must be unanimous in the united states and in common law traditions. On the same vein concludes that, not all state verdicts have to be unanimous, with the two cases manifesting the jury.
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Mexican Gulf Oil Spill Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Mexican Gulf Oil Spill - Research Paper Example The companyââ¬â¢s reputation was also tarnished severely, as the oil spill was a public relations disaster. British Petroleum had to face criticism not only from environmental groups but also from the general populace. The case study of Gulf of Mexico oil spill will aid the understanding of the audience as to how the company dealt with the situation. The focus will be on the way company handled its communication in the media. Also, the role of culture and politics and its impact on the way the company dealt with the crisis will be discussed. The reaction of the public and how British Petroleum handled it will also be significant part of this case study. Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill The Gulf of Mexico oil spill started on 20th April 2010 with an explosion of the deep water horizon in which 11 men lost their lives and another 17 were left wounded (Welch & Joyner, 2010). The explosion resulted in the worst oil spill in the history of oil and gas industry, and millions of barrels of crude oil polluted the sea. The oil spill lasted for about 3 months, during which British Petroleum tried many attempts to block the oil well. Government agencies also took action, and the company was fined. The company also had to deal with many lawsuits from businesses and individuals. The underwater oil spills are difficult to stop, because the source of oil is underwater. This is why it took the company 3 months to stop the oil spill. The company tried very hard to stop the oil spill earlier but was not successful. British Petroleum also had to face severe criticism and public outrage when many of its attempts to stop the oil spills went unsuccessful. People couldnââ¬â¢t find answers as to how it is not possible for a company as big as British Petroleum to stop the oil spill. The underwater oil spill is also more damaging than other types of drilling disasters, because it is very difficult to clean the rivers and seas that are affected by the oil spill. British Petroleum had to ha ndle this situation, as it was no less than a public relations disaster. The company had to take tough decisions to protect its reputation, as it was getting a bashing from media, environmental groups, and public. The company first tried to dial down the situation and took a position that the oil spill is not as big as people think it is. The potential damage of the oil spill was dialed down by the company. The company also took steps to curb the damage from the oil spill. The policy of damage control was put in place as the company was trying to stop the oil spill. Initially, people believed the companyââ¬â¢s stance that everything would work out. But when days went by and the oil spill didnââ¬â¢t stop, the media and the public started to panic. This is when the company publicly admitted that there was something seriously wrong and steps had to be taken. Initially, however, the policy of dialing down the issue was followed by the company. Given the size of the company, it was necessary for it to dial down the danger. Any bad news would result in lowering stock prices, which is not acceptable by the shareholders; therefore, the company initially tried to tell people that the problem was not bad enough and the company would soon solve it. From the standpoint of the company, it was a good step, as it stopped the share prices from falling immediately. But when the news broke out that the company is finding it difficult to fix the oil spill, company stocks decreased and, eventually,
Barriers Faced by Human Service Workers Essay Example for Free
Barriers Faced by Human Service Workers Essay ââ¬Å"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. â⬠ââ¬â Albert Einstein Human service workers act as a liaison between clients in need and the agencies clients seek to obtain help from, and while human service workers strive to provide services in an adequate and timely manner this is not always possible. Human service workers are human therefore there can be a large margin of error. All human service agencies are subject to barriers that prevent perfect service from being rendered. While certain barriers do exist in the human service field improvements can be made that can lead to greater service. In todayââ¬â¢s society technology is dominating the workforce causing former work methods to become obsolete. While technology is constantly changing the changes made are often for the better, allowing companies to thrive and overcome existing barriers once faced. Technology not only benefits ââ¬Å"businessâ⬠companies, but also greatly improves the barriers faced by human service workers. One potential barrier that human service agencies can face is falsification on company records. Falsification of records can prove fatal, especially in Child or Elder Protection cases. While falsification of records may not be the human service workers intention it can indeed be committed when time restraints prevent case workers from visiting their clients in a given time frame. In August 2006 lack of time and falsification of records proved fatal for 14 year old Danieal Kelley of Philadelphia, Pa. Danieal Kelley a then 14 year old cerebral palsy victim died from neglect at the hands of her own mother. The nightmare of forced starvation and infection that killed Danieal while under the protection of the cityââ¬â¢s human service agency is documented in a 258 page grand jury report that charges nine people, her parents, four social workers, and three family friends- in her ghastly deathâ⬠(CBS3,2008). In the case of Danieal Kelley ââ¬Å"the department of Human Services received at least five reports of Danieal being mistreated between 2003 and 2005â⬠(CBS3, 2008), and while social workers were assigned to Danielaââ¬â¢s case, none appeared to follow through. According to CBS3 news itââ¬â¢s suspected that after Daniealââ¬â¢s death Mickal Kamuvaka the company director of the agency in charge of Danielaââ¬â¢s case held a ââ¬Å"forgery festâ⬠in her office where she had employees ââ¬Å"concoct almost a yearââ¬â¢s worth of false progress reportsâ⬠(CBS3, 2008). The fact that no one took time to protect Danieal sheds light on the terrible fact that ââ¬Å"someâ⬠social workers falsify documents to protect themselves. In order to prevent future case like Daniealââ¬â¢s its imperative that a system be in place to prevent social workers from simply doctoring records when itââ¬â¢s convenient for them. A method that could be used to track the whereabouts of said social workers could be a G. P. S. Agencies could provide social workers who are required to make home visits with cell phones implanted with G. P. S. systems. The tracking system could be used while the social workers are on the clock to ensure that home visits are indeed being made within the required time frame. This tracking system could prevent workers from falsifying documentation because their whereabouts would be known ahead of time. An online G. P. S. racking system called World Tracker Web GPS (webgpstrack), which allows devices to be tracked through internet access. According to Mobile GPs online, ââ¬Å"Web GPS Track is a self contained hardware and software package that allows a user to track his assets from anywhere through an internet connected PCâ⬠(Mobile GPs, 2008). The Web GPS Tracker works by using the world tracker and a SIM card from a local GSM wireless network carrier. Once the SIM card is inserted into a cell phone, GPS tracking can begin. Oneââ¬â¢s location can then be accessed by using platforms such as Google maps. This small device can be a very helpful tool in the human service field when itââ¬â¢s necessary to obtain truthful information about a workers true whereabouts. Web GPS Track can become expensive depending on the number of units needed for a given agency. The cost includes a onetime purchase fee of the World Tracker unit which is $350 each. An additional on time subscription fee of 99. 89 per unit is needed to activate the account. Additional fees include a monthly service fee of 19. 98 per unit, a onetime SIM card fee ranging between $25 and $ 50, and any SMS service fee charged by a local service provider. While the cost of GPS tracking can be expensive, it can prove beneficial when proper records are needed, and it may save an agency from facing a large lawsuit because of false documentation, it could also prevent another case of Danieal Kelley. Another potential barrier faced by human service agencies is Intellectual Property Theft. ââ¬Å"Intellectual property is anything from names, images, symbols, and designs used in commerce, intellectual property is considered a valuable asset and most organizations have protected their intellectual property from infringement by othersâ⬠(Hefter,1995). Intellectual property theft becomes possible when secure information is left unattended and within reach of possible culprits. Some ways that intellectual property may get out is through emails sent to incorrect recipients, when confidential information is left in common areas, or left laying on printers or scanners. Information can also be lost when employees speak on their cell phones in public areas. Intellectual property theft in the human service field can wreak havoc on clients. Personal information can fall into the wrong hands whether it in a domestic violence shelter or and employment shelter. While intellectual property theft is very serious solutions exist that can help combat Intellectual Property Theft. Aside from agencies limiting access to non business related websites to help prevent being hacked, a program called Symantec Data Loss Prevention which is used by leading technological companies can also be used as a safety measure. ââ¬Å"Symantec Data Loss Prevention protects companies from malicious employee behavior, pirating, or accidental leaks that expose confidential informationâ⬠(Symantec Security, 2008). Symantec Data Loss Prevention works by ââ¬Å"1. Discovery; the software finds confidential data where ever itââ¬â¢s stored, creates an inventory of sensitive, and automatically manages data clean up. 2. Monitor; SDLP helps a company understand how confidential information is being used whether the user is on or off the cooperate network, and gain enterprise visibility. 3. Protect; SDLP helps companies gain visibility into policy violations to proactively secure data and preventing confidential data from leaving an organization. à 4.à Manage; SDLP helps companies define universal policies across an enterprise, remediate and report incidents, and detect content accurately within one unified platformâ⬠(Symantec Security, 2008). A program offered by Symantec is Norton Internet Security which performs the necessary features above. The cost of the Norton software is fairly inexpensive costing 69. 99. This cost allows a computer to be fully protected for a year before needing to renew the software subscription. Norton is inexpensive software which will help rotect company files and serves as a valuable investment, whether in a corperate office or a human service agency. Another potential barrier faced by human service agencies is the loss of data. As technology becomes more prevalent in the workforce more records are being transferred from paper to computers. As with any form of technology the possibility of records being lost is very real if computers crash or other technological difficulties arise. The best way to protect data is to always backup files. A number of technological software exist that can do this. For agencies using windows, ââ¬Å"The windows server backup software can be used to automatically and continuously backup a number of devices like NAS,CD/DVD, hard drive and tapesâ⬠(Computer Customizing, 2008). One form of windows backup software is Acronis True Image which creates a replica of the disk image of the windows server. According to Computer Customizing this backup software helps aid in server disaster recovery by creating backups on a number of media, SAN volumes, and NAS. This software also restores huge databases and all the individual files with instant bare metal restore (Computer Customizing, 2008). This software will help protect all important files preventing valuable files from being lost. Human service workers and human service agencies are bound to face barriers on any given day and while this is an unavoidable truth there are solutions that can allow for a faster paced, safer, and more ethical workplace. While the vast majority of services rendered by human service agencies are completed by hard working human beings, technology is paving the road for a more effective work environment as long as agencies properly utilize the technological tools that are becoming available at a lightning fast rate. Technology is the way of the future and needs to be embraced in order to keep up with the times and not get lost in an overflow of paperwork which distracts from the true purpose of a human service worker which is to be an advocate for those in need.
Friday, September 6, 2019
Awarness and Attitude of Primary Teachers Essay Example for Free
Awarness and Attitude of Primary Teachers Essay Child Rights: A Gist The Convention on the Rights of the Child defines basic rights of children covering multiple needs and issues. India endorsed it on December 11, 1992. Following are a few rights in the immediate purview of Smile Foundation as well as India. The right to Education: 50% of Indian children aged 6-18 do not go to school Dropout rates increase alarmingly in class III to V, its 50% for boys, 58% for girls. The right to Expression: Every child has a right to express himself freely in which ever way he likes. Majority of children however are exploited by their elders and not allowed to express. The right to Information: Every child has a right to know his basic rights and his position in the society. High incidence of illiteracy and ignorance among the deprived and underprivileged children prevents them from having access to information about them and their society. The right to Nutrition: More than 50% of Indias children are malnourished. While one in every five adolescent boys is malnourished, one in every two girls in India is undernourished. The right to Health Care: 58% of Indias children below the age of 2 years are not fully vaccinated. And 24% of these children do not receive any form of vaccination. Over 60% of children in India are anemic. 95 in every 1000 children born in India, do not see their fifth birthday. 70 in every 1000 children born in India, do not see their first birthday. The right to protection from Abuse: There are approximately 2 million child commercial sex workers between the age of 5 and 15 years and about 3.3 million between 15 and 18 years. They form 40% of the total population of commercial sex workers in India. 500,000 children are forced into this trade every year. The right to protection from Exploitation: 17 million children in India work as per official estimates. A study found that children were sent to work by compulsion and not by choice, mostly by parents, but with recruiter playing a crucial role in influencing decision. When working outside the family, children put in an average of 21 hours of labour per week. Poor and bonded families often sell their children to contractors who promise lucrative jobs in the cities and the children end up being employed in brothels, hotels and domestic work. Many run away and find a life on the streets. The right to protection from Neglect: Every child has a right to lead a well protected and secure life away from neglect. However, children working under exploitative and inhuman conditions get neglectedà badly. The right to Development: Every child has the right to development that lets the child explore her/his full potential. Unfavourable living conditions of underprivileged children prevents them from growing in a free and uninhibited way. The right to Recreation: Every child has a right to spend some time on recreational pursuits like sports, entertainment and hobbies to explore and develop. Majority of poor children in India do not get time to spend on recreational activities. The right to Name Nationality: Every child has a right to identify himself with a nation. A vast majority of underprivileged children in India are treated like commodities and exported to other countries as labour or prostitutes. The right to Survival: Of the 12 million girls born in India, 3 million do not see their fifteenth birthday, and a million of them are unable to survive even their first birthday. Every sixth girl childs death is due to gender discrimination. Child Rights in India: An Introduction India is a party to the UN declaration on the Rights of the Child 1959. Accordingly, it adopted a National Policy on Children in 1974. The policy reaffirmed the constitutional provisions for adequate services to children, both before and after birth and through the period of growth to ensure their full physical, mental and social development. Accordingly, the government is taking action to review the national and state legislation and bring it in line with the provisions of the Convention. It has also developed appropriate monitoring procedures to assess progress in implementing the Convention-involving various stake holders in the society. India is also a signatory to the World Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children. In pursuance of the commitment made at the World Summit, the Department of Women and Child Development under the Ministry of Human Resource Development has formulated a National Plan of Action for Children. Most of the recommendations of the World Summit Action Plan are reflected in Indias National Plan of Action- keeping in mind the needs, rights and aspirations of 300 million children in the country. The priority areas in the Plan are health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and environment. The Plan gives special consideration to children in difficult circumstances and aims at providing a framework, for actualization of the objectives of the Convention in the Indian context. Status of Children inà India Recent UNICEF (2005) report on the state of the worldââ¬â¢s children under the title ââ¬Å"Childhood Under Threatâ⬠, speaking about India, states that millions of Indian children are equally deprived of their rights to survival, health, nutrition, education and safe drinking water. It is reported that 63 per cent of them go to bed hungry and 53 per cent suffer from chronic malnutrition. The report says that 147 million children live in kuchcha houses, 77 million do not use drinking water from a tap, 85 million are not being immunized, 27 million are severely underweight and 33 million have never been to school. It estimates that 72 million children in India between five and 14 years do not have access to basic education. A girl child is the worst victim as she is often neglected and is discriminated against because of the preference for a boy child. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights In order to ensure child rights practices and in response to Indiaââ¬â¢s commitment to UN declaration to this effect, the government of India set up a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The Commission is a statutory body notified under an Act of the Parliament on December 29, 2006. Besides the chairperson, it will have six members from the fields of child health, education, childcare and development, juvenile justice, children with disabilities, elimination of child labour, child psychology or sociology and laws relating to children. The Commission has the power to inquire into complaints and take suo motu notice of matters relating to deprivation of childs rights and non-implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children among other things. Aimed at examining and reviewing the safeguards provided by the law to protect child rights, the Commission will recommend measures for their effective implementation. It will suggest amendments, if needed, and look into complaints or take suo motu notice of cases of violation of the constitutional and legal rights of children. The Commission is to ensure proper enforcement of child rights and effective implementation of laws and programmes relating to children- enquiring into complaints and take suo motuà cognizance of matters relating to deprivation of child rights; non-implementation of laws providing for protection and development of children and non-compliance of policy decisions, guidelines or instructions aimed at their welfare and announcing relief for children and issuing remedial measures to the state governments. Convention on the Rights of the Child Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989 Right to education From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search The right to education is a universal entitlement to education, a right that is recognized as a human right. According to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights the right to education includes the right to free, compulsory primary education for all[1], an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all, in particular by the progressive introduction of free secondary education[2], as well as an obligation to develop equitable access to higher education, ideally by the progressive introduction of free higher education.[3] The right to education also includes a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education. In addition to these access to education provisions, the right to education encompasses the obligation to rule out discrimination at all levels of the educational system, to set minimum standards and to improve quality of education. [4] International legal basis The right to education is law in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Articles 200 and 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.[5][6][7] The right to education has been reaffirmed in the 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education and the 1981 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.[8] In Europe, Article 2 of the first Protocol of 20 March 1952 to the European Convention on Human Rights states that the right to education is recognized as a human right and is understood to establish an entitlement to education. According to the Internationalà Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the right to education includes the right to free, compulsory primary education for all, an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all in particular by the progressive introduction of free secondary education, as well as an obligation to develop equitable access to higher education in particular by the progressive introduction of free higher education. The right to education also includes a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education. In addition to these access to education provisions, the right to education encompasses also the obligation to eliminate discrimination at all levels of the educational system, to set minimum standards and to improve quality. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has applied this norm for example in the Belgian linguistic case.[9] Article 10 of the European Social Charter guarantees the ri ght to vocational education. [10] Definition Education narrowly refers to formal institutional instructions. Generally, international instruments use the term in this sense and the right to education, as protected by international human rights instruments, refers primarily to education in a narrow sense. The 1960 UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education defines education in Article 1(2) as: all types and levels of education, (including) access to education, the standard and quality of education, and the conditions under which it is given.[11] In a wider sense education may describe all activities by which a human group transmits to its descendants a body of knowledge and skills and a moral code which enable the group to subsist.[11] In this sense education refers to the transmission to a subsequent generation of those skills needed to perform tasks of daily living, and further passing on the social, cultural, spiritual and philosophical values of the particular community. The wider meaning of education has been recognised in Article 1(a) of UNESCOs 1974 Recommendation concerning Education for International Understanding, Co-operation and Peace and Education relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.[12] The article states that education implies: the entire process of social life by means of which individuals and social groups learn to develop consciously within, and for the benefit of, the national and international communities, the whole of their personalà capabilities, attitudes, aptitudes and knowledge.[11] The European Court of Human Rights has defined education in a narrow sense as teaching or instructions in particular to the transmission of knowledge and to intellectual development and in a wider sense as the whole process whereby, in any society, adults endeavour to transmit their beliefs, culture and other values to the young. [11] Assessment of fulfilment The fulfilment of the right to education can be assessed using the 4 As framework, which asserts that for education to be a meaningful right it must be available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. The 4 As framework was developed by the former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, Katarina Tomasevski, but is not necessarily the standard used in every international human rights instrument and hence not a generic guide to how the right to education is treated under national law.[13] The 4 As framework proposes that governments, as the prime duty-bearer, has to respect, protect and fulfil the right to education by making education available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable. The framework also places duties on other stakeholders in the education process: the child, which as the privileged subject of the right to education has the duty to comply with compulsory education requirements, the parents as the ââ¬Ëfirst educatorsââ¬â¢, and professional educators, namely teachers.[13] The 4 As have been further elaborated as follows:[14] * Availability ââ¬â funded by governments, education is universal, free and compulsory. There should be proper infrastructure and facilities in place with adequate books and materials for students. Buildings should meet both safety and sanitation standards, such as having clean drinking water. Active recruitment, proper training and appropriate retention methods should ensure that enough qualified staff is available at each school. [15] * Accessibility ââ¬â all children should have equal access to school services regardless of gender, race, religion, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Efforts should be made to ensure the inclusion of marginalized groups including children of refugees, the homeless or those with disabilities. There should be no forms of segregation or denial of access to any students. This includes ensuring that proper laws are in place against any childà labour or exploitation to prevent children from obtaining primary or secondary education. Schools must be within a reasonable distance for children within the community, otherwise transportation should be provided to students, particularly those that might live in rural areas, to ensure ways to school are safe and convenient. Education should be affordable to all, with textbooks, supplies and uniforms provided to students at no additional costs. [16] * Acceptability ââ¬â the quality of education provided should be free of discrimination, relevant and culturally appropriate for all students. Students should not be expected to conform to any specific religious or ideological views. Methods of teaching should be objective and unbiased and material available should reflect a wide array of ideas and beliefs. Health and safety should be emphasized within schools including the elimination of any forms of corporal punishment. Professionalism of staff and teachers should be maintained.[17] * Adaptability ââ¬â educational programs should be flexible and able to adjust according to societal changes and the needs of the community. Observance of religious or cultural holidays should be respected by schools in order to accommodate students, along with providing adequate care to those students with disabilities. [18] A number of international NGOs and charities work to realise the right to education using a rights-based approach to development.[citation needed] Historical development In Europe, before the Enlightenment of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, education was the responsibility of parents and the church. With the French and American Revolution education was established also as a public function. It was thought that the state, by assuming a more active role in the sphere of education, could help to make education available and accessible to all. Education had thus far been primarily available to the upper social classes and public education was perceived as a means of realising the egalitarian ideals underlining both revolutions.[19] However, neither the American Declaration of Independence (1776) nor the French Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) protected the right to education as the liberal concepts of human rights in the nineteenth century envisaged that parents retained the primary duty for providing education to their children. It was the states obligation to ensure that parents complied with this duty, and many statesà enacted legislat ion making school attendance compulsory. Furthermore child labour laws were enacted to limit the number of hours per day children could be employed, to ensure children would attend school. States also became involved in the legal regulation of curricula and established minimum educational standards.[20] In On Liberty John Stuart Mill wrote that an education established and controlled by the State should only exist, if it exists at all, as one among many competing experiments, carried on for the purpose of example and stimulus to keep the others up to a certain standard of excellence. Liberal thinkers of the nineteenth century pointed to the dangers to too much state involvement in the sphere of education, but relied on state intervention to reduce the dominance of the church, and to protect the right to education of children against their own parents. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, educational rights were included in domestic bills of rights.[21] The 1849 Paulskirchenverfassung, the constitution of the German Empire, strongly influenced subsequent European constitutions and devoted Article 152 to 158 of its bill of rights to education. The constitution recognised education as a function of the state, independent of the church. Remarkable at the time, the constitution proclaimed the right to free education for the poor, but the constitution did not explicitly require the state to set up educational institutions. Instead the constitution protected the rights of citizens to found and operate schools and to provide home education. The constitution also provided for freedom of science and teaching, and it guaranteed the right of everybody to choose a vocation and train for it.[22] The nineteenth century also saw the development of socialist theory, which held that the primary task of the state was to ensure the economic and social well-being of the community through government intervention and regulation. Socialist theory recognised that individuals had claims to basic welfare services against the state and education was viewed as one of these welfare entitlements. This was in contrast to liberal theory at the time, which regarded non-state actors as the prime providers of education. Socialist ideals were enshrined in the 1936 Soviet Constitution, which was the first constitution to recognise the right to education with a corresponding obligation of the state to provide such education. The constitution guaranteed free and compulsory education at all levels, a system of state scholarships and vocational training in stateà enterprises. Subsequently the right to education featured strongly in the constitutions of socialist states.[23] As a political goal, right to education was declared in F. D. Roosevelts 1944 speech on the Second Bill of Rights. Implementation International law does not protect the right to pre-primary education and international documents generally omit references to education at this level.[24] The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to education, hence the right applies to all individuals, although children are understood as the main beneficiaries.[25] The rights to education are separated into three levels: * Primary (Elemental or Fundamental) Education. This shall be compulsory and free for any child regardless of their nationality, gender, place of birth, or any other discrimination. Upon ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights States must provide free primary education within two years. * Secondary (or Elementary, Technical and Professional in the UDHR) Education must be generally available and accessible. * Higher Education (at the University Level) should be provided according to capacity. That is, anyone who meets the necessary education standards should be able to go to university. Both secondary and higher education shall be made accessible by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education. [26] Compulsory education The realisation of the right to education on a national level may be achieved through compulsory education, or more specifically free compulsory primary education, as stated in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.[27][28] Action For Children (AFC) Action for Children (AFC) conceptualised by Wild Ganzen and supported by Net4Kids and Kids Rights aims at involving privileged citizens, civil society groups and various institutions including corporates in the development process. This programme supported by the Dutch Government promoted consortium (Wild Ganzen, Net4Kids and Kids Rights) has given a boost to the initiative. The programme is being implemented in three developing economies of the world namely Brazil, South Africa and India. Smile Foundation joined hands with the Consortium in April 2008 and since then has been executing the programme in India. The objective is to stimulate more fortunate mass to be a part of the development process and ensure sustainability of grassroots initiatives across India. Through AFC, Smile Foundation encourages people to ââ¬Ëstand up and actââ¬â¢ to bring a change in the lives of underprivileged children and youth. Action For Children is based on the concept that development is a peopleââ¬â¢s issue and not just the governmentââ¬â¢s concern. With this premise, the Foundation has been striving to build a civil society that owes responsibility for societal development and participate whole-heartedly in transforming the lives of underprivileged children. Through AFC, Smile Foundation encourages individuals, civil society groups, corporate houses, professional associations, schools, colleges, youth wings to participate in the development process. The Action for Children programme sensitizes and involves the fortunate mass through: 1. Local Actions Local Action connotes organizing an event to raise funds for a child centric project. It can be organised by individuals, groups and institutions in their region. Local action aims at sensitization and consequent involvement of the privileged mass in raising funds for children through various activities 2. KidsXL KidsXL is a school exchange programme wherein children of privileged school and underprivileged school are brought together under one platform. Several interactive sessions and special activities are organized for the children. KidsXL aims at bringing the children from both the segments closer, thereby reducing social disparities. In the process, the children also learn to be sensitive and responsible towards the society 3. Media Advocacy The aim is to involve media in creating awareness among the people and advocating the cause before a wide audience. The Foundation sensitizesà people through documentaries, Public Service Advertisements, news features, advocacy campaigns, rallies etc. 4. Corporate Social Responsibility CSR aims at sensitising and involving corporates in the development process. It gives the corporates an opportunity to give back to the society. It is based on a partnership model wherein corporates partner with Smile Foundation either to support the whole or a part of capital cost or running cost of a child centric project. The inherent objective of the programme is to ensure that the development activities become locally sustainable.
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