Child Rights Connect is driving a transformative initiative to empower children as key actors in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. Their project, The Now and the Future: Advancing the Rights, Empowerment, and Protection of Child Human Rights Defenders, seeks to ensure that children, particularly those facing intersectional barriers, are recognized and supported as agents of change. This project is aimed at children who are human rights defenders, that is to say, young individuals who courageously engage in activism and advocacy for human rights, even though they often face age-related challenges, intimidation, and exclusion from decision-making processes.

This project highlights the unique challenges faced by children, especially girls, gender-diverse children, and those from marginalized communities, who often encounter even more significant barriers when engaging in activism or advocacy. Protection mechanisms frequently fail to address their specific needs, leaving them unsupported as they strive to make an impact. Child Rights Connect mission is to transform these barriers into opportunities by empowering children to become active participants in both local and global change.

The project was launched in 2024, and it has a global focus and also regional dimension with four priority countries: Brazil, Moldova, Thailand, and Togo. This broad and inclusive approach is allowing Child Rights Connect to tailor its efforts to the specific needs and contexts of each country, ensuring that children could act as agents of change regardless of their struggles.

The project’s collaborative nature is at the heart of its success. By leveraging our extensive global network and collaborating with local partners, Child Rights Connect is able to amplify children’s voices and advocate for their rights at both the local and international levels. Partner organizations such as the Alana Institute in Brazil, Child Rights Information Center (CRIC) in Moldova, Plan International in Togo, and Amnesty International in Thailand play a crucial role in the project’s implementation, showing the power of coordinated efforts between global and local forces.

As part of the initial phase, Child Rights Connect held a two-day inception workshop in June 2024, bringing together its partners to discuss local needs and create tailored roadmaps for each country. These roadmaps were developed through consultations with partners and stakeholders in each target country, providing clear timelines and activities for the project’s implementation in 2025 and 2026. To ensure continued progress and collaboration, Child Rights Connect also established the Project Advisory Group, which includes representatives from Child Rights Connect Secretariat, partner organizations, and our Children’s Advisory Team. The Project Advisory Group’s role is to advise on project implementation, monitor progress, review lessons learned, and suggest corrective actions when necessary.

Internally, Child Rights Connect invested time in reviewing and adapting its internal control systems to align with the project’s specific requirements, ensuring effective and transparent management of the initiative. Furthermore, Child Rights Connect developed an external communication strategy, which includes creating web stories and fact sheets available in multiple languages, including French, Portuguese, Thai, and Romanian, to engage both the network and the public. Through these communication channels, Child Rights Connect has kept its network informed and raised awareness about the project’s activities via social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook.

A standout feature of this project has been the active involvement of the Children’s Advisory Team (CAT), which has been central to shaping the project’s direction from the beginning. The CAT consists of young activists who provide valuable insights into the challenges and risks children face in human rights activism. For example, the CAT has been instrumental in developing a Strategic Vision on Child Human Rights Defenders, which outlines actions and commitments for governments, civil society, and international organizations to support child human rights defenders. They also contributed to the development of a ChatBot tool to improve online safety for CHRDs, responding to the growing concerns around digital threats.

The CAT has also played a significant role in advocating for children’s rights on the global stage. Members of the CAT participated in the United Nations Human Rights Council’s 56th session, where their advocacy efforts led to the inclusion of language in a key resolution that recognized child participation in educational rights. Additionally, two girl child advisors from the CAT met with the UN Special Rapporteur on education, pushing for stronger commitments to children’s rights within education systems. This kind of advocacy shows the tangible impact of Child Rights Connect’s work in influencing policy and decision-making at international levels.

To further support the CAT, Child Rights Connect has been developing educational resources, such as a school kit on climate change and environmental rights. This kit includes presentations, activity workbooks for different age ranges, and activity guides, empowering children to lead discussions about climate change in their schools and communities. The resources are currently available in English, French, and Spanish, with plans to expand translations to reach a broader audience.

Another key milestone for Child Rights Connect was the development of the Strategic Vision for Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Child Human Rights Defenders. Published in September 2024, this Vision serves as a roadmap for empowering children globally by outlining the actions that should be taken by the human rights community to support them. This Vision was co-designed by children and adult representatives from civil society organizations, UN agencies, and other key stakeholders, ensuring it reflects the needs and aspirations of the children it aims to protect. It has already gained widespread endorsement from major child rights organizations and individuals, both within civil society and the UN. The Vision is available in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, and Arabic, along with a child-friendly version.

Additionally, Child Rights Connect has been working on various capacity-building efforts to inform global discussions, such as supporting the development of General Comment 27 on children’s rights to access justice and effective remedies. Through consultations with children, including child human rights defenders, Child Rights Connect has contributed to the drafting process, ensuring that the voices of children are considered in international legal frameworks. The organization has also been involved in advocacy efforts related to child participation in global events, such as the Summit of the Future and the Pact for the Future, ensuring that children’s rights are prioritized in international policy discussions.

Through its advocacy efforts, Child Rights Connect has successfully ensured that children’s voices are included in critical discussions on human rights and political participation. In September 2024, Child Rights Connect co-hosted a side event at the Human Rights Council in collaboration with key partners, where they debunked myths about children’s civil and political rights. This event led to significant advancements in recognizing children’s rights, particularly in the context of political participation.

In conclusion, the project The Now and the Future project is laying the foundation for a future where children are not only seen as vulnerable individuals in need of protection but as empowered changemakers capable of shaping policies and advancing human rights. Through its advocacy, capacity-building efforts, and strategic collaborations, Child Rights Connect is creating a world where children’s rights are upheld, and their voices are central to creating lasting, positive change. As the project progresses, Child Rights Connect will continue to work alongside children, civil society, and governments to build a more just and equitable future for all.