Child Rights Matter
It's unacceptable that hundreds of millions of children still have their rights abused. By championing child rights, we're able to tackle the very causes of poverty and injustice in everything we do, from our long-term child development programs and disaster relief through to our global campaigning. Our ultimate goal? To create a world where all children can realise their full potential because their rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.
Child Rights Defined
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child spells out the human rights that children everywhere – without discrimination – have. The 40 rights outlined in the convention can be loosely grouped under the general headings of survival, development, protection and participation. These rights apply to all children under the age of 18: girls and boys, children with disabilities, children of all ethnic origins and all religious beliefs.
Championing Child Rights
Our work is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and seeks to contribute to the realisation of these rights for children in 50 of the world's poorest countries.
- We're improving the survival rate for children, by providing pre- and post-natal support for mothers, immunisation for children and access to clean water and sanitation.
- So children can develop their full potential we're working to improve schools, strengthen health services and train teachers and health workers.
- We encourage children to take part in all stages of our development process, and make sure their voices are heard by supporting youth media and youth clubs.
- Protecting children is always a priority, from promoting birth registration to helping families better prepare for conflict and natural disasters.
- We work with governments to support them to improve access to children's rights. This can include lobbying governments or supporting community members and their children to speak to their local representatives themselves.