BLOG POST
Today, 20 November 2022, we come together to celebrate World Children’s Day 2022. World Children’s Day is held every year to raise awareness of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which was adopted on 20 November 1989. While the global community pays extra attention to child rights today, it is vital to ensure that children’s rights are protected every single day.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most complete statement of children’s rights ever produced and is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty in history (ratified by 196 states). The Convention contains 54 articles which set out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to. At Protect Children, all our work stems from Article 19 of the Convention, which outlines the child’s right to be safe from violence, which includes “all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse”.
Today marks 33 years since the Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted. Over three decades since this global commitment, millions of children worldwide continue to experience violence, including sexual violence that increasingly takes place online. In Europe, it is estimated that 1 in 5 children will experience sexual violence at some point during their childhood. At Protect Children, we work every day to ensure that this devastating statistic is reduced.
With the development of technology and new risks emerging, we need new, more effective ways to prevent crimes against children. Protect Children adopts a holistic approach to the prevention of sexual violence against children in order to tackle the issue from multiple perspectives.
How do we at Protect Children uphold the right of the child to be safe from violence?
We educate children on essential digital safety skills | The Online Road Safety project promotes children’s digital safety skills in a fun and inspiring way, so that children can safely and confidently navigate online environments |
We train professionals | Supporting professionals working with children, law enforcement, and other authorities working in the field of child protection. |
We conduct innovative and important research | The ReDirection project aims to prevent online sexual violence against children by researching and rehabilitating offenders. |
We amplify the voices of survivors | We amplify the voices of adults who have become victims of sexual violence in childhood in the Our Voice survivor advocacy group. |
We support victims and families | We organize You Are Enough peer support groups to support parents and guardians whose child has become a victim of sexual violence. |
We demand concrete actions from duty bearers | We advocate nationally and internationally for legislative changes to strengthen the rights of children, survivors, families and implement greater protections and preventive measures. |
What can you do to join World Children’s Day?
1. Talk with your children about their rights.
Get familiar with children’s rights yourself and introduce them to your children with the child-friendly version of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It’s important that children are aware of the human rights that they have.
2. Keep the conversation going
Share your thoughts and raise awareness on social media by sharing posts with the hashtag #WorldChildrensDay
3. Listen to children’s voices.
Today, young people are standing up for a more equal, inclusive world that respects their fundamental rights. Let's listen to their ideas and help put their demands into action.