Karen and Lana Selected to Represent Their Regions at the First IGWG Meeting on the new CRC Optional Protocol

On 10 July 2024, the Human Rights Council decided to create a special group to explore a new Optional Protocol, attached to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, that would make education more accessible for children. This new instrument aims to ensure that all children can attend at least one year pre-primary and secondary school for free.

This Human Rights Council Resolution requested the meaningful participation of children in the development of the new Optional Protocol. In line with that, five children were selected based on an open call launched by the Office of the High Commissioner to represent the five global regions at the end of July 2025. Our child advisors, Karen and Lana reached an exciting moment in their advocacy journey: they were selected to represent their regions, Latin America and Eastern Europe at the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the Optional Protocol on the Right to Education. Both child advisors took part in the preparation of the submission of the Children’s Advisory Team for the call of the High Commissioner to prepare the first session of the IGWG, including the organization of consultations with other children and a national survey about access to pre-primary and secondary education.

Find out more about the event here and the initiatives of our Children’s Advisory Team here.