September 3 2007
For further information Jack Durrell
Contact number 020 7877 7043
Red Cross teaching resources to deliver effective citizenship education
The British Red Cross has released four new resources to prepare teachers for the revised national curriculum for citizenship education. Focusing on modern warfare and the laws of war, the assembly kit and briefings will give teachers the confidence to deliver effective and engaging assemblies and classes on issues surrounding armed conflict.
The revised national curriculum was announced last month by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), and now includes international humanitarian law at key stage 4 and international conventions at key stage 3.
One of the resources is an assembly kit looking at the AK47, a weapon that marks its 60th anniversary this year. The resource explains how these, and other small arms and light weapons, have caused millions of deaths and injuries worldwide as a result of being simple-to-use, and cheaply available. It also introduces solutions, such as training the military in applying IHL, and introducing strict controls on the trade in arms and ammunition.
All resources discuss the consequences of untrained combatants, such as militias and child soldiers accessing weapons, and how international humanitarian law, or the rules governing war, can prevent unnecessary suffering and death.
Says Mairi Allan, head of schools and community education at the British Red Cross: “We understand how daunting the changes in the national curriculum might be, particularly if teachers do not have prior knowledge of international humanitarian law. These resources will give teachers confidence and a solid grasp of these complex issues so they can lead effective and engaging citizenship classes.”
Promoting international humanitarian law is one of the key missions of the Red Cross around the world. As an impartial and neutral organisation, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is uniquely placed to offer education on international humanitarian law.
The assembly kit and briefings are part of a range of free British Red Cross teaching resources to help young people learn about complex issues such as international humanitarian law. The Red Cross also provides a fortnightly summary of breaking news stories so teachers can lead topical discussions in the classroom - News think! is available at www.redcross.org.uk/newsthink
All British Red Cross online education resources can be downloaded at www.redcross.org.uk/education
Download the AK47 assembly at www.redcross.org.uk/ak47ak
ENDS
Notes to editors
By including international humanitarian law in the secondary school curriculum, the UK government will be helping to fulfil its international obligations as a State Party to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977. These international instruments require state parties to encourage awareness and understanding of the principles of these treaties among the civilian population.
The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. We are part of a global voluntary network, responding to conflicts, natural disasters and individual emergencies.
We enable vulnerable people in the UK and abroad to prepare for and withstand emergencies
in their own communities. And when the crisis is over, we help them to recover and move on
with their lives.
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