From 1-3 September 2025, the first session of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) was held in Geneva to explore the possibility of a new Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This new instrument would focus on the rights to early childhood education, free pre-primary education, and free [...]
Updates on “The Now and the Future” project! Successful workshop in Brazil! Child Rights Connect (CRCnct) was in Brazil in July to implement the project "The Now and the Future: Advancing the Rights, Empowerment and Protection of Child Human Rights Defenders". The initiative, led by Zsuzsanna Rutai, the Child [...]
Joint letter on the impact of the UN liquidity crisis and the UN80 Initiative on children’s rights to Permanent Missions to the United Nations in Geneva and New York and the Secretary-General of United Nations: Excellencies, We, the undersigned civil society organisations, individual experts, national human rights institutions and ombudspersons [...]
In 2024, Child Rights Connect continued to lead efforts to embed children’s rights across the United Nations system and beyond. Building on the momentum created by the 2023 release of the UN Secretary-General’s Guidance Note on Child Rights Mainstreaming—a document made possible thanks to years of Child Rights Connect’s advocacy—this [...]
For the first time, children from Latin America appeared before the IACHR to share their experiences about the threats, persecution, criminalisation and violence they face for protecting the environment and raising awareness of climate change. They demanded to be recognised for what they already are: human rights defenders. During a [...]
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 [...]
In 2024, the global normative pushback against children’s rights—particularly around gender and civil and political rights—intensified. In response, Child Rights Connect put increased efforts to advance understanding and protection of children’s civil and political rights at the global level, in particular at the UN Human Rights Council (Council or HRC). Despite [...]
Denis, a child advisor at Child Rights Connect, participated in a side event at the 59th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which focused on 'Children's Voices on Free Pre-Primary and Secondary Education' and took place on Friday, 20 June. It was organised by the Permanent Mission of [...]
Child Rights Connect taskforce on inclusive social protection has released a new report calling for Early Childhood Development to be explicitly reaffirmed as a global political priority, essential for every child’s survival and well-being, especially those in crisis-affected and marginalized communities. This report is the result of a collective effort [...]
In 2024, Child Rights Connect made significant strides in advancing its strategic goal to strengthen the rights, empowerment, and protection of CHRDs together with CHRDs themselves — achieving tangible impact through a wide range of activities and collaborations! In March 2024, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights [...]
