Children's Rights

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Crossadder Foundation – The EqualEd Initiative for Gender Equality in Pakistan

Every child has rights

Being a child should never determine whether you're safe, healthy or heard.

Every child has rights, no matter where they are born, who they are or what their circumstances may be. These rights protect children from harm, help them grow, and give them the opportunity to thrive.

Yet for millions of children around the world, these rights are still out of reach.

At KidsRights, we work alongside young changemakers who are standing up for children's rights every day. Together, we're helping build a world where every child has the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy and heard.

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What are children’s rights? 

Children’s rights are the freedoms and protections every child is entitled to simply because they are a child. 

These rights are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the most widely accepted human rights treaty in the world. Nearly every country has committed to protecting these rights, recognising that children deserve special care, protection and opportunities to develop. 

Children’s rights aren’t optional. They are fundamental. 

When these rights are protected, children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. When they’re denied, it affects not only individual lives but entire communities and future generations. 

Education

Every child deserves the chance to learn. 

 

Education is more than going to school. It creates opportunities and helps children build brighter futures. Yet millions of children still face barriers to education because of poverty, conflict, discrimination or displacement. 

 

Young changemakers are finding new ways to improve access to learning, challenge inequality and ensure education reaches every child. KidsRights helps amplify their ideas and bring their solutions to a wider audience. 

Protection from violence

Every child deserves to feel safe.

 

Violence against children happens in every part of the world. It can take many forms, including abuse, neglect, bullying, exploitation and harmful practices. The impact can last a lifetime. 

 

Protecting children means creating safe homes, schools and communities where every child is respected and supported. It also means listening to children and taking their concerns seriously. Young people are already leading campaigns to make this happen. We help ensure their voices are heard. 

Child labour and exploitation

Childhood should never be spent working to survive. 

 

Millions of children are still forced into work that threatens their health, education and future opportunities. 

 

Every child deserves the freedom to learn, play and develop without exploitation. Through our research, advocacy and youth-led programmes, KidsRights supports initiatives that challenge the root causes of child labour and strengthen the rights of vulnerable children around the world. 

Children affected by conflict

Every child deserves hope, even in the hardest circumstances.

 

Conflict, violence and displacement continue to affect millions of children worldwide. Too many children lose access to education, healthcare, protection and stability because of war or humanitarian crises. 

 

Young changemakers, including the International Children’s Peace Prize winners, have shown extraordinary courage in speaking out for children affected by conflict. Their stories remind the world that children are not only victims of conflict. They are also powerful advocates for peace and change. 

Health and wellbeing

Healthy children build stronger communities. 

 

Good health is the foundation for every other right. Children need access to healthcare, nutritious food, clean water and mental health support to grow and thrive. 

 

The KidsRights Index tracks how countries are protecting children’s health and wellbeing, helping governments identify where progress is needed and where action cannot wait. Because every child deserves the chance to live a healthy life. 

State of Youth Indians for India Chapter

A safe environment

Children’s futures depend on the world we build today. 

 

Climate change, pollution and environmental degradation are already affecting children’s lives. 

 

Young people across the world are leading conversations about protecting the planet because they understand that a healthy environment is essential for their future. Supporting children’s rights also means protecting the places where children live, learn and grow. 

The right to be heard

Young people have ideas worth listening to.

 

Children have the right to express their views and to be involved in decisions that affect their lives. Too often, adults make decisions about young people without asking for their perspectives. 

 

KidsRights believes children and young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They’re shaping change today. Through the International Children’s Peace Prize, State of Youth and our global advocacy, we help create opportunities for young people to influence decisions, challenge injustice and inspire others to act.

Rights become reality when people act 

Children’s rights don’t protect themselves. 

They become reality when governments keep their promises, communities take action and young people have the opportunity to lead. 

That’s why KidsRights combines research, advocacy and youth-led action to strengthen children’s rights around the world. We amplify young voices, make the evidence impossible to ignore and support the ideas already changing lives. 

Because every child deserves more than rights on paper. 

They deserve the chance to live them.