In 2024, Child Rights Connect made monumental progress in advocating for the recognition and protection of children’s civil and political rights at the UN Human Rights Council. Despite facing significant challenges from some States, Child Rights Connect’s relentless and strategic advocacy efforts ensured that children’s voices were prioritized in crucial UN resolutions and decision-making processes, further cementing their role as active participants in shaping international human rights frameworks. Below, we highlight some of our most impactful achievements in keeping children’s civil and political rights at the core of global decision-making.

  • The First-Ever UN Special Rapporteur Report on Child and Youth Human Rights Defenders

One of Child Rights Connect’s standout achievements was its pivotal involvement in the first-ever report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders (SR HRDs) addressing child and youth human rights defenders (CHRDs). In March 2024, SR HRDs Mary Lawlor released this groundbreaking report, with Child Rights Connect playing 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 organizations like Save the Children, Amnesty International, and SR HRDs 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, including prominent child human rights defenders from Thailand, Moldova, Paraguay, and more.

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.

  • A Seat at the Table: Child Participation in the Establishment of an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child

2024 also saw a historic development in the push for children’s right to education. Through the tireless efforts of Child Rights Connect’s Working Group on Education, a landmark resolution (HRC/56/L.8) was adopted by consensus at the UN Human Rights Council on July 10, 2024. This resolution paved the way for the creation of a new Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, focused on the rights to early childhood education, free pre-primary education, and free secondary education.

The resolution was the result of over a year of advocacy by Child Rights Connect’s Working Group on Education and was championed by the Permanent Missions of the Dominican Republic, Luxembourg, and Sierra Leone. The resolution set up an open-ended intergovernmental working group to explore the creation of the Optional Protocol, ensuring that the right to education, including early childhood care, is included under international law. One groundbreaking aspect of this resolution is its explicit commitment to child participation, as it calls for children’s views to be included in the development of the new Optional Protocol.

The Children’s Advisory Team of Child Rights Connect played a vital role in this achievement. Since 2023, child advisors from this group had been consulted and actively engaged in advocacy efforts. They wrote letters to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, requesting support for the new Optional Protocol, and participated in a video campaign explaining the importance of education rights for children. Two child advisors, Catarina (17, Brazil) and Freja (13, Canada), were invited to the 56th Human Rights Council Session in Geneva to support the adoption of the resolution. Their participation in the negotiations, advocacy activities, and side events was instrumental in ensuring the resolution passed with broad support.

  • Mainstreaming Children’s Rights in Resolutions on Civil and Political Rights

Another major achievement in 2024 was Child Rights Connect’s successful advocacy to include children’s voices in the UN Human Rights Council resolution on peaceful protests. Historically, resolutions addressing civic space and human rights often overlooked children’s participation and protection needs in protests. Child Rights Connect worked tirelessly to change that by pushing for a child rights framework within the resolution, which called for strengthening law enforcement guidance on child participation in protests, embedding a child rights perspective in police training, and ensuring the inclusion of girl human rights defenders, who are often subject to gender-based violence and discrimination.

Negotiations were challenging, with some States resisting the inclusion of stronger protections for child human rights defenders. However, thanks to Child Rights Connect’s persistent engagement and coalition-building efforts, key recommendations were successfully integrated into the final resolution. This included guidance for law enforcement on facilitating safe and meaningful child participation and ensuring that children are not subjected to violence or repression during protests. This achievement marked a significant step forward in recognizing children as active participants in peaceful protests and advocating for their protection and rights.

  • Children’s Voices Take the Panel: Claiming Their Right to Be Heard in Political and Public Affairs

One of the most impactful moments for Child Rights Connect in 2024 came during the 57th Session of the UN Human Rights Council when the resolution on “Equal Participation in Political and Public Affairs” was adopted with specific provisions for children’s rights. For the first time, the resolution included dedicated paragraphs highlighting the importance of children’s participation in political and public affairs, recognizing their right to be heard in decision-making processes that impact their lives.

Throughout the session, Child Rights Connect focused on advocating for the civil and political rights of children, particularly their right to participate in political and public life, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. To bolster this advocacy, Child Rights Connect organized a side event co-sponsored by multiple international organizations and UN member states, titled “Supporting Children’s Participation in Political and Public Affairs.” The event was attended by over 100 people both in-person and online and featured discussions on the challenges children face in participating in political affairs, as well as best practices for fostering greater child engagement in decision-making.

Key recommendations from the event included strengthening legal frameworks to guarantee children’s right to participate in political and public affairs, investing in mechanisms that ensure children’s voices are heard, supporting the leadership development of children—especially girls—and fostering ongoing dialogue between children and authorities. Notably, the resolution also included two new provisions recognizing the transformative potential of education and the negative impact of hate speech on children’s participation in political and public life.

Conclusion: Shaping the Future of Children’s Rights

In 2024, Child Rights Connect achieved historic milestones in advancing the civil and political rights of children on the global stage. From securing the first-ever report on child human rights defenders to embedding child participation in the development of a new Optional Protocol on education rights, Child Rights Connect successfully reinforced the role of children as active agents of change in shaping international human rights standards. These advancements are part of a broader, ongoing effort to ensure that children’s voices are heard, valued, and integrated into the frameworks that govern their rights.

Despite facing resistance from certain States, Child Rights Connect’s strategic advocacy and coalition-building efforts ensured that the rights of children remained at the forefront of global discussions. Moving forward, Child Rights Connect is committed to continuing its work with UN member States and other stakeholders to strengthen child participation, challenge misconceptions, and ensure that international frameworks reflect the full breadth of children’s civil and political rights. As Child Rights Connect looks ahead, the goal remains clear: empowering children to be key stakeholders in shaping the future of their rights.