We all recognize the inherent truth in the statement “children are the future”.

However, for any child to have a future, or be the future, they must have a present which allows them to get there. To ensure that all children, have the best chance of reaching their bright futures, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted in 1989.

Save the Children UK has summarized it nicely. Excerpts are as follows:

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a legally-binding international agreement setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of every child, regardless of their race, religion or abilities.

Under the terms of the convention, governments are required to meet children’s basic needs and help them reach their full potential. Central to this is the acknowledgment that every child has basic fundamental rights. These include the right to:
life, survival and development
protection from violence, abuse or neglect
• an education that enables children to fulfill their potential
• be raised by, or have a relationship with, their parents
express their opinions and be listened to.

The UNCRC is also the only international human rights treaty to give non-governmental organisations (NGOs), like Save the Children, a direct role in overseeing its implementation, under Article 45a.

As an NGO working on a host of issues impacting child hunger and child well-being internationally, Hunger Relief International (HRI) is tasked with working to improve the rights and dignity of the children in our programs. Child protection is at the core of HRI’s mission, vision, and strategy. A new series of blog posts will examine how this theme relates to our programs in communities and orphanages, as well as to relief and development work in general. This is important to us as we work towards providing children the best chance at a bright future.

Thousands Needs

Help HRI end hunger and suffering.