Children continue to expand and are increasingly at the forefront of activism and mobilizing worldwide to demand change on a broad spectrum of societal, economic, environmental and political issues concerning humanity today. Child human rights defenders (CHRDs) do not only want to be heard, but they also have a right to be supported and empowered to participate in decisions affecting them, to fully exercise their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and to seek accountability. Unfortunately, around the world, CHRDs face a multitude of challenges and barriers, including: existing and new repressive laws; lawsuits; educational sanctions; denial of public services; disinformation campaigns; and various types of reprisals all aimed at silencing these young voices. States and other duty-bearers must fulfil their obligations and develop mechanisms to support CHRDs and protect them and their rights.

In March 2024, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders (SR HRDs), Ms Mary Lawlor presented to the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council the first ever UN report on child and youth defenders: “We are not just the future”: challenges faced by child and youth human rights defenders. Child Rights Connect played a central role in ensuring the active participation of child human rights defenders throughout the consultation process. Child Rights Connect worked closely with SR HRDs to integrate children’s voices into all the events leading up to the report’s release.

To celebrate the launch, Child Rights Connect partnered with Save the Children, Amnesty International, and the Special Rapporteur to host a side event at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council. The event, titled “Advancing the Rights of Child and Young Human Rights Defenders: Implementing the Recommendations of the Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders” was a key moment for continued dialogue on the protection of child and youth defenders. It attracted the attention of approximately 180 participants both in-person and online. Four child and youth HRDs from around the globe delivered powerful interventions and reflected on the findings and recommendations of the report. During the event, the Special Rapporteur reflected on How to develop a real partnership between the UN and children and young people that can translate into more effective recognition of and protection of child and youth defenders?:

“Even as late as 4-5 years ago, proposing to include a child HRD in a panel discussion at UN human rights fora would have been met with disbelief or an immediate NO. It was considered too complicated, in some cases not safe, or worse, not necessary.

I am very happy to see the momentum that seems to be building over the past years, with important milestones, including the Annual Day of General Discussion by the Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2018; the joint statement by Luxembourg last March, on behalf of over 60 states, on child defenders, and the Youth Advisory Group, consisting of 12 inspiring young activists from around the world who work on a broad range of issues.

And this is exactly what is needed: a systematic, meaningful and routine inclusion of child and young HRDs in all our work at the UN, including the Human Rights Council and special procedures.

It should finally become something natural, not an outlier, not an opportunity to showcase something. I am stressing this not to minimize its importance, but on the contrary, to emphasize its crucial relevance to hear the voices of young activists.

Earlier today, I had a meeting with the President of the Human Rights Council. I stressed to him as well the importance of maintaining the option for hybrid participation in the HRC which had been unceremoniously dropped this session. Civil society as a whole, and in particular child and young defenders need this feature and have benefitted from it.

Finally, just for me I can pledge that I am to continue systematically including children and young people who are human rights defenders, and integrating across all the work I do for the remaining time of my mandate.”

The young HRDs’ interventions during this event highlighted not only the challenges they face in their activism but also the unique opportunities provided by the SR HRDs and Child Rights Connect to amplify their voices at the global level. They emphasized the importance of the report’s recommendations, which help to ensure their rights are better protected, and called for ongoing advocacy at the UN level to raise awareness about the challenges specific to child and youth defenders.

 

Following the report by the Special Rapporteur, Child Rights Connect, together with Save the Children and Better by Codesign, initiated a process to design a joint Strategic Vision for Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Child Human Rights Defenders. More than 50 representatives from civil society, UN bodies and children, contributed to ensure it reflects the needs and aspirations of the children it aims to protect. Published in September 2024 and officially launched in March 2025, this Vision is a key milestone for Child Rights Connect to further advance, promote and protect the rights of child human rights defenders by building bridges among different sectors of the human rights community to bring new actors to the table. It serves as a roadmap for empowering children globally by outlining the actions that should be taken by the human rights community to support them.

It has already gained widespread endorsement from major child rights organizations, both within the civil society and the UN. The CHRD Vision is available in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish and Arabic, along with a child-friendly version in English, French and Spanish to mobilize and inspire civil society, governments and donor communities. The publication identifies that this Strategic Vision (image below) can only be realised through collaboration and that we need “intergenerational and inclusive communities, co-owned by CHRDs and adult stakeholders, to promote solidarity and participation and to provide resources and assistance to CHRDs.”

Since launching the first ever global programme on child human rights defenders in 2017, Child Rights Connect has worked tirelessly to catalyse and strengthen existing initiatives at national, regional and international levels. Let’s continue to support this global movement together, with and for children!