Laura Lundy is Honorary Professor of Education Law and Children’s Rights at Queen’s University Belfast, Professor of Law at University College Cork, and a practicing barrister. She is Co–Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Children’s Rights and an internationally recognized expert in children’s participation rights and education law. Her highly cited 2007 article, “‘Voice’ is not enough,” introduced what is now known as the Lundy Model, grounded in four core principles—Space, Voice, Audience, and Influence—which is widely used in policy and practice. The Lundy Model has been adopted by national governments, including Ireland, and by international organizations such as UNICEF, the European Commission, and the Council of Europe.
Episode 70
In Episode 70, Laura Lundy reflects on the origins of her commitment to human rights education and children’s rights, shaped in part by Northern Ireland’s history and the transformative role of human rights discourse following the Belfast Agreement. She discusses the evolution of her scholarship and activism focused on children’s participation, emphasizing the importance of listening to youth voices across all stages of childhood. Laura explores the public impact of her work, the complementary roles of law and education, and the importance of ombudsmen and civil society in advancing children’s rights. The conversation centers on the Lundy Model, its application to policy and practice—including work with incarcerated children—and ongoing challenges in ensuring meaningful participation for all children. The episode concludes with updates on global progress in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, highlighting developments in Scotland and civic engagement work in the United States.
Topics discussed:
- Origins of Laura Lundy’s work in human rights education
- Human rights education in Northern Ireland and post–Belfast Agreement transformation
- Children’s rights in teaching, activism, and scholarship
- Youth voice, participation, and public impact of children’s rights work
- Collaboration with governments, civil society, and UNICEF
- Article 12 of the CRC and the development of the Lundy Model
- Adapting the Lundy Model for incarcerated children
- Global progress on CRC implementation, with examples from Scotland and the U.S.
Tags: Human rights; Human rights education; Children’s rights; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; Belfast Agreement; Northern Ireland; Lundy Model; Youth voice; Incarcerated youth; Children’s rights in Scotland; Civic engagement
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
Episode 71
In Episode 71, Laura Lundy examines global challenges to children’s rights, with particular attention to migration, poverty, and participation. She discusses the persistent failure of media and adult institutions to recognize children—especially child migrants—as full rights holders. Laura highlights the role of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in advancing participation rights over time and reflects on both the barriers and successes of child rights education.
The conversation explores the essential role of law in human rights education, arguing that understanding local legal frameworks empowers children to become advocates for their own rights. Laura addresses contemporary challenges in the UK, including child poverty, opposition to children’s rights frameworks, and the erosion of protections driven by libertarian ideology. She also considers the fragility of social safety nets in the United States and the harmful impact of censorship on children’s access to information. The episode concludes with reflections on role models such as Janusz Korczak and Michael Freeman, a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt emphasizing change in “small places,” and a call to fully implement Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as a global strategy for advancing children’s rights.
Topics discussed:
- World migration and children’s rights
- Media inattention to child rights and child migrants
- UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and participation progress
- Law as a foundation for child rights education
- Teachers as duty bearers in advancing children’s rights
- Child poverty as a central barrier to rights realization
- Libertarian challenges to child protections
- Impact of censorship and weak social safety nets
- Role models in children’s rights advocacy
- Article 12 of the CRC and child participation as a global strategy
Tags:
Human rights; Human rights education; Children’s rights; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; World migration; Child migrants; Duty bearers; Child poverty; Child participation; Eleanor Roosevelt; Libertarianism; Social safety net; Censorship
Full topic listing available for PDF download HERE.
Listen on our Buzzsprout podcast website HERE.
All episodes of Human Rights Education Now! are available on:
Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Deezer, PlayerFM, Pocket Casts, and the HRE USA website,
Thank you for supporting the Human Rights Education NOW! podcast!
HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.
HRE USA 