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World Children’s Day is celebrated every year on the 20th of November. The theme this year is inclusion.
The UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of the Child on the 20th of November 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the same date in 1989.
Children have the right for example to:
- Personal views. Children have the right to give their opinions freely on issues that affect them. Adults should listen and take children seriously.
- Own thoughts and share them freely. Children have the right to share freely with others what they learn, think and feel, by talking, drawing, writing, or in any other way unless it harms other people.
- Access to information. Children have the right to get information from the Internet, radio, television, newspapers, books, and other sources. Adults should make sure the information they are getting is not harmful.
- A full life with disabilities. Every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society.
- Food, clothing, and a safe home. Children have the right to food, clothing, and a safe place to live so they can develop in the best possible way. The government should help families and children who cannot afford this.
- Proper education. Children’s education should help them fully develop their personalities, talents, and abilities. It should teach them to understand their own rights and to respect other people’s rights, cultures, and differences. It should help them to live peacefully and protect the environment.
- Rest, play, culture, arts. Every child has the right to rest, relax, play, and take part in cultural and creative activities.
See the full list of the Rights of the Child from here.
How to celebrate World Children's Day?
Parents, grandparents, teachers... as well as children themselves, can play an important part in making World Children's Day relevant and acknowledged.
World Children's Day gives everyone an opportunity to promote and celebrate children's rights, which will hopefully lead to building a better, more equal world for all children around the world.
In early childhood education, you can discuss some of the important rights with children and ask children's opinions and thoughts about chosen topics. You may also look for information together about topics that interest children. Spend a day that gives every child the possibility to play, relax, eat, and take part in activities of their choice.
UNICEF has also made a video for children that explains some of the rights in a simple way. Watch the video We all have rights here.
Children's Rights Week around the world
Children’s Rights Week is held annually in connection with World Children’s Day, which aims to increase awareness of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and promote the realization of children’s rights worldwide.
Explore World Children's Day around the world
In Finland Children’s Rights Week kicked off on Monday with a special session at the Government Palace, where children of different ages from all over the country could discuss things on their minds with several ministers, including Prime Minister Sanna Marin.
The children were preschoolers and older, and they had questions for the ministers on a wide range of topics. For example, the ministers were asked what could be done to respond to the growing pressure on children and how are the ministers’ sewing skills.
♦ We all have rights - video for children about their rights by UNICEF ♦
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