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
2022 in review: Unlocking the potential of the first national child rights coalition in Morocco to speak with one powerful voice with children at the UN
Lack of coordination as a key barrier to realizing the human rights of all children [...]
2022 in review: Catalyzing the influence of civil society and children on UN wide policies and decision-making where children’s rights are forgotten
Why child rights mainstreaming is critical to realizing child rights In today's world, where child [...]
2022 in review: Further building momentum for realising the rights, protection and empowerment of child human rights defenders at all levels
Children experience specific and additional challenges and violations when acting as human rights defenders because [...]
2022 in review: New spaces opened for children to voice their views, engage adults, and act for what they believe in
Historic exclusion of children in decision-making and persistent pushback on child participation Children have historically [...]
Child Rights Connect In Action: Responding to the unprecedent mobilization of children for climate justice
Children’s calls for climate justice have been heard, but largely ignored The world is experiencing [...]
Child Rights Connect In Action: Building political consensus and empowering civil society towards OPIC ratification
The OPIC, a unique instrument that has yet to be ratified by many States Seven [...]
Child Rights Connect In Action: Children influence global discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals
Children have been historically excluded from discussions at the Human Rights Council The 2017 Human [...]
Child Rights Connect In Action: Empowering defenders to use the OPIC to ensure redress for child victims
Why the OPIC is key to providing redress to children when national mechanisms fail to [...]
Child Rights Connect In Action: Child Participation and Child Empowerment – Reflections from our Child Advisors
Why a Children’s Advisory Team (CAT) There are multiple examples of child human rights defenders [...]
2024 by the numbers
2024 by the numbers
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.”
“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.”
“[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.”
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.