In Senegal, Save the Children is supporting a local NGO coalition in running a national survey, conducted by children and youth, about the CRC. Here is what some of these interviewers think about the CRC:
"Without the CRC, children would be in even more miserable living conditions. As a child, I think the CRC is a good thing for children. It enables them to express themselves and live better. But many of those rights haven’t been put into practice here in Senegal. This is the reason why we need to make more efforts in sensitizing people about child rights. Especially the rights to education, health and protection. If we get those three respected, all the others would follow." Madia, 15
Videos
Global Children's Charter
In this current financial crisis, we do not want the world's poorest children to be forgotten. The Global Children's Panel have put together a charter of statements from children and young people around the world.
Life In The Risk Zone: Rio de Janerio, Brazil
This film is about Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 3, the best interest of the child. It features children talking about their own experiences of living in today's Rio de Janerio.
Nothing About Me, Without Me: Sana'a, Yemen
This film is about Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 23, the right of the child with disabilities.
20th anniversary of the UNCRC
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) forms the basis of all Save the Children’s work around the world. Since the inception of the Convention, its four main principles have become the underlying and unifying thread among all our efforts in securing children’s rights.
This means that our work must enable all children to enjoy their rights without exception; children shall be consulted and supported to participate in decision making on matters that concern them; all actions concerning children must be based on their best interests; and all children have the right to life, survival and development.
Eglantyne Jebb, an inspirational woman who was the founder of Save the Children, wrote the first Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1923, later developed to form the basis of today’s Convention on the Rights of the Child. She knew that to have maximum impact Save the Children had to move beyond relief work. Her response was typically bold and visionary – to create a platform for the rights and welfare of children around the world. Read more about our history.
We must continue to listen to children and reach out the most vulnerable and most marginalised children around the globe. Together we must make sure every child’s rights are respected.
Photo Essay: 20th Anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
On November 20, 1989 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC forms the basis of all Save the Children’s work around the world.
With Children Around the Globe
In response to the 2009 General Assembly Resolution on the Rights of the Child, which will focus on, ‘the right of the child to express his or her views freely in all matters affecting him or her’, Plan International, Save the Children and War Child Holland are collaborating to promote children’s participation and to increase understanding and awareness of one of the general principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. "With Children" shares a sampling of projects and initiatives around the world where are participating and addressing issues of discrimination, poverty, abuse, violence, exploitation and more.
With Children Around the Globe
Rights in Real Life: How the UNCRC has improved the situation for children
Rights in Real Life” contains a dozen success stories where Save the Children and children themselves have used the CRC as a tool for change.
Read about the fight for the right to life for disabled children in Togo, advocacy for law reforms to stop discrimination in Sweden and children in Brazil who challenged the allocation of resources in their communities and many more.
Rights in Real Life
Rights in Real Life - Arabic
What Happened?
In the last 20 years we have learnt to watch the world from a child’s point of view and to listen to what children have to say about problems and possible solutions.
"What Happened?" is a study on the impact of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in five countries: Estonia, Nepal, Peru, Uganda and Yemen.
What Happened? [PDF, 800 KB]
What difference has the Convention on the Rights of the Child made? (A short version of What Happened?) [PDF, 730 KB]
What Happened: Concluding Obervations [PDF, 140 KB]
Making Children's Rights a Reality
Almost 20 years on from the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, we are still failing children. Around the world, millions of children continue to suffer widespread and severe violations of their rights. Why? Often, because of the way governments allocate resources and make policy decisions. These governments, as ‘duty-bearers’ responsible for delivering children’s rights, together with donors and civil society, need to do much more to promote and safeguard children’s wellbeing.
This brief outlines:
- What are children’s rights?
- What progress has been made in the past 20 years?
- Have we made children’s rights a reality?
- Why have we not achieved more?
- What we’re calling for?
Making Children's Rights Reality [ PDF file, 65 KB ]
