End conflict so children can go to school. Find solutions to the climate crisis so children are not forced from their homes. Give girls a louder voice. These are just some of the rights demanded by children across the globe as young campaigners and rights experts gather this month to mark 100 years since the League of Nations – the forerunner to the United Nations – adopted the Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child.
This groundbreaking international document, drafted by Save the Children founder Eglantyne Jebb, for the first time affirmed the existence of rights specific to children, stating that every child has a fundamental right to education, protection in times of distress, food, and safety from exploitation.
The document, which stated that “mankind owes to the child the best it has to give,” became the forbearer of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely endorsed human rights treaty in history.
But despite much progress over the last century, today children’s rights are being eroded and inequality is growing. One in five children globally is growing up in a conflict zone [1] and one in 50 is forcibly displaced- twice the number a decade ago, according to Save the Children analysis of UNHCR data [2]. Thirty-three children were born into hunger each minute last year [3] while every year, extreme weather events interrupt learning for about 40 million children, a figure likely to rise as their intensity and frequency increase due to climate change
At a press conference hosted by Save the Children today to mark the centenary, child rights campaigners from around the world reflected on their views on their rights and what action they want world leaders and other decision-makers to take.
Protection and an end to conflict
Lara, 15, spoke about the impact of the conflict in Lebanon’s south on children who have been displaced to other parts of Lebanon, including on their psychosocial wellbeing and mental health.
“Children lost not only their homes and toys but also their dreams. They now live in constant fear of escalation, of the sounds of sonic booms, drones, and warplanes, and children are lost in an uncertain future,” she said.
While Lara welcomed humanitarian efforts, she said that safety for children will ultimately only be achieved through an end to the conflict.
Ibrahim, 14, also spoke of how conflict in his home state in northern Nigeria means that many children live in fear of the next attack.
“Many nights, I have seen children forced to flee their homes, to seek shelter in camps that are overcrowded and under-resourced. They have lost their homes, their schools, their childhood.”
Access to education and health
Lara shared how the conflict has affected the education of her displaced friends, with the situation made worse by Lebanon’s economic crisis and infrastructure challenges.
“Schools [are] overwhelmed with the large number of new students. The neighbourhood I live in is overcrowded, and there is a lack of capacity to adapt to different communities and meet the needs of the displaced, whether in health, education or other essential services.”
Although remote learning is available, she said that many children do not have sufficient internet access to attend online classes.
“I demand the right to education for myself and my friends,” she said.
Action to prevent climate disasters
Rachel, 16, is from Malawi, one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world for children [5]. She said that in her community, the climate crisis has taken a disproportionate toll on girls’ rights. She said that increasing numbers of girls drop out from school as they are forced to help with family tasks such as collecting water and taking care of siblings.
Ibrahim meanwhile shared how the recent devastating floods in Nigeria this month have impacted his community and called for longer-term action.
“This is not just a disaster; it is a failure of our systems to protect the most vulnerable among us. He called for both ” immediate aid” as well as “long-term solutions to ensure that such devastation never happens again.”
Child participation
Across the board children wanted their voices to be heard. Children’s calls for action have pushed key issues that affect them – such as the climate emergency and national rights acts – up the public and political agenda, but more needs to be done.
Rachel called for greater space for girls’ voices in discussions related to climate change.
“Girls are excluded from decision-making processes related to climate change despite being the most impacted.”
Ibrahim, who helped implement a child rights law in the parliament of the state where he lives said: “In my community, we work together to ensure that, even in the face of adversity, children still have a voice.”
Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International said, “Despite the challenging realities for children today, I have had the privilege of seeing children’s resilience and I’ve met with children who are fighting for their rights, and those of their families and friends.
“Standing up for children’s rights is our history, present, and future. Our work to support children to claim their rights is just as urgent and relevant today as it was 100 years ago and we will not stop until children’s rights are respected, supported, and protected worldwide.
“We need to continue to hear from children who are raising their voices and sharing constructive ideas for the future they want to see.”
