Children Human Rights Defenders

Children around the world engage to promote and protect their rights and the rights of others. Children get together to inform their governments at different levels about their situation and needs, and to share concrete ideas and suggestions on how problems can be solved. Children human rights defenders are exposed to the same challenges and dangers, as adults. But because they are children they are more vulnerable to reprisals, violence and abuse and especially the younger ones face additional obstacles within their immediate environment, the family, school or community.

As of today, children are not universally recognized, protected and empowered as human rights defenders, neither at national nor international levels. Without international legal instruments, without national legal frameworks, and without broad awareness and understanding for the role that children can and must play among the broader society, children will be exposed to reprisals, harassment or worse. They might be unsuccessful in protecting human rights and in preventing harm to be done to them or others, with potential serious consequences on their whole life.