As a children’s rights charity, we've stood up for children for a century and ensured their voices are heard. We wrote the treaty that sets out their rights, and we've upheld them every day since.
Over a 100 years ago, Save the Children was founded by sisters Eglantyne Jebb and Dorothy Buxton. In 1924, Jebb wrote the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the first inter-governmental human rights treaty, informing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
Almost every country in the world has signed up to the UNCRC - and real progress has been made in areas such as under‐5 child mortality, access to education and absolute poverty.
But many countries still fail to prioritise and promote children’s rights.
World leaders must also address the climate crisis as a children’s rights crisis – and recognise that children must be part of the solution.
We've been fighting for children's rights every day since our founding, inspired by the sisters' vision of a better future.
HOW WE HELP TO PROTECT CHILDREN’S RIGHTS GLOBALLY
Adam*, 14, dreams of becoming an astronaut. But life in a crowded Palestinian camp in Lebanon makes that dream feel far away.
When Adam was four, his father died in the war in Syria. His family fled to Lebanon, where they now live with seven others in his grandfather’s small home. The camp is overcrowded, the sewage system is broken, and electricity cuts are constant.
When COVID hit, Adam’s school moved online—but without power or internet, he couldn’t keep up.
Then Adam found the education centre in the camp, supported by Save the Children. There, he discovered his rights—and his voice. He now attends child rights classes and speaks up for children in his community.
Adam still dreams of space. But for now, he’s focused on school, helping his sister with her studies, and making his mum proud. “I want to be a role model for my mother,” he says. “Because I am her future.”
How serious is the problem?
- 1 in 3 under fives has not had their birth registered, meaning they don’t have an official name or nationality
- In half the countries where records exist, over 80% of children aged 2–14 have experienced violent discipline
- Child labour affects 150M
How are we helping?
We're calling on all governments to recommit to the UNCRC by focusing on three key areas:
- Ensuring all laws fully comply with the UNCRC.
- Increased government spending on children and ensuring that resources are being used effectively.
- Establishing an independent ombudsman for the protection and promotion of child rights in every country, and setting up an international complaints procedure for the UNCRC.
