Rights and participation

All children have the same rights

Child rights are the DNA of our work. Save the Children envisions a world that respects, protects and fulfills children’s rights.

We encourage and facilitate the participation of children in decisions that affect them and their communities.

We advocate with governments and international communities to change policies and practices that violate children's rights.

We work with local communities, governments, foundations, corporations, and national and international agencies to create programs to enable children to exercise their rights and thereby create positive change for the world's children.

Save the Children’s mission since 1919 has been to improve the quality of children's lives through the realization of their rights. Our organizations founder, Eglantynne Jebb, drafted a declaration of the Rights of the Child, a statement of fundamental freedoms and inherent rights of all human beings below the age of 18 which formed the foundation for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (the CRC).

The CRC forms the basis of all of Save the Children’s work around the world. Simply put:

All children have the right to survival, protection, development and participation
All children have the right to be protected from manipulation, violence, abuse and exploitation
Children have the right to be listened to, to freely express their views on all matters that affect them, and to freedom of expression, thought, association and access to information
Measures should be put in place to encourage and facilitate children’s participation in accordance with their age and maturity
Participation should promote the best interest of the child and enhance their personal development
All children have equal rights to participate without discrimination

Universal Children’s Day 2011

Children's Rights is our DNA

Universal Children’s Day on 20 November 2011 marked the 22nd anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We conducted a survey to assess interest in children’s rights among our supporters.

Download factsheet on the UNCRC and Save the Children’s work on child rights.

Download full results of the child rights survey.