Our Impact

Every human being is entitled to human rights. Children represent around a third of the global population. Yet their rights are being neglected or violated across the globe. For four decades, we have been advancing the rights, empowerment and protection of children from the local to the global level, with children, our Network members and observers, and partners.

Here are examples of some of the recent impact we have made in advancing child rights around the world.

Impact Stories

Saving the planet is saving children: Voices of Children for COP27 and beyond

11 October, 2022
“I want to see my land smiling.  I want to see it’s revived beauty  I want to see the areas affected from deforestation filled with trees.  I want everyone to [...]

Landmark CRC Concluding Observations on Child Human Rights Defenders linked to freedom of expression!

5 October, 2022
In September 2022, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (the Committee) held its 91st Session and adopted recommendations for the State parties under review. For the first [...]

Joint statement during the Interactive Dialogue with the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

29 September, 2022
In the framework of the Human Rights Council 51 session, Child Rights Connect and its members made a joint statement during the Interactive Dialogue with the Independent International Commission of [...]

Guidance Note of the Secretary-General on Child Rights Mainstreaming: Child Rights Connect inputs to the survey

27 September, 2022
The Guidance Note that the UN Secretary General is developing on child rights mainstreaming is a unique opportunity to make the UN’s work more rights-based and therefore more effective. In [...]

Strong calls from States and civil society for UPR recommendations on Child Human Rights Defenders

14 September, 2022
“(…) The more stakeholders that are aware, and the more agencies that are aware of the applicable human rights framework, as well as the legal and practical challenges faced by [...]

CRC session 91 opened with the first ever opening statement by children!

29 August, 2022
At the 91st CRC session, our Children’s Advisory Team (CAT) delivered a statement, which marks the first time ever that children have addressed the Committee on the Rights of the [...]

2024 by the numbers

2023 by the numbers

0
Children’s rights defenders, including children, empowered to report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
0
New / updated multilingual resources published to help children / adults engage with the United Nations
0
Child advisors, aged between 13 and 17-years-old, from all regions of the world, including 8 girls
0
Online workshops organised with How To Child Rights on how to engage children to FU to HR mechanisms in Africa
0
Attendees at our joint side-event of the Human Rights Council to celebrate the first-ever UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders report on child and youth human rights defenders
0
Individual or joint statements, letters or submissions delivered at the UN level

What others say about our impact ...

“Being a Child Advisor has been a source of empowerment for me in various ways. It’s the first time I’ve felt actively involved in making a positive impact on the world.”

Anghelina, 2023-2024 child advisor, Moldova

Without Child Rights Connect’s presence, the global civil society’s advocacy and influence on children’s rights and child rights mainstreaming would be hampered.”

External evaluation 2022

“[Child Rights Connect] have made it possible for me to carry the voice of the children and young people of my country and always respect my position from the point of view of disability.”

Jorge, 2021 child advisor, Bolivia

How we make our change happen

We know from experience that change takes time, can be incremental, and requires collaboration. The below graph shows how we make change happen.

A results-based approach

We work with a results-based approach. This means results are at the centre of what we do, and how we do it. We operate with a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan which outlines what information we track to assess our results, how this information is collected, how frequently and by whom. Every year, we undertake a comprehensive review of our results against our set objectives and identify lessons learned. We document this information in our public annual reports and reports to our donors. Periodically, we engage consultants to conduct an external evaluation of our impact. We use key findings to adapt what we do and how we do it to better and more sustainably advance child rights.

The change we seek to achieve is about shifting perceptions, attitudes, and practices, particularly towards empowering children and civil society, influencing decisions of States, and promoting legal and policy reform. Our methods for assessing impact therefore heavily rely on qualitative data. But we also collect quantitative data to track our reach. We strive to disaggregate the data we collect by age, gender, geography, and other criteria to assess how different categories of children and children’s rights defenders are impacted upon by our work and improve the inclusiveness of our actions.

Interested in helping us advance child rights?

Help us to create a world in which children enjoy their human rights.