On September 26, 1924, "The Declaration on the Rights of the Child” in Geneva, the first international guidelines to explicitly recognize that children have rights. Today, exactly 100 years later, has improved a lot, but at the same time we see how the development of children's well-being in many parts of the world is going in the wrong direction. It is a truly disturbing worldview, but we have the opportunity to influence it. 

We are representatives of 14 organizations that work in different ways for children's rights globally. In connection with the start of the World's Children campaign, we now choose to come together to say that it is time to take the children's situation seriously, if we want the next generation to have the opportunity to live in a safe and sustainable world. When voices are raised that we don't belong together, that we shouldn't help each other - then counterforces are needed that say otherwise. All of us and all of you tens of thousands of people in Sweden who are involved in Children of the World and for children's rights - we are such a counter force together. To reverse the negative development, we need to strengthen cooperation between actors within Sweden - and between Swedish civil society and civil society in other countries - not weaken it. Young people's voices need to be taken seriously and we must, above all, dare to invest in initiatives that benefit children's rights globally.  

The children are hit the hardest

Just as UN Secretary-General António Guterres himself writes, this year is UN report on the global goals a bleak read. For more than a third of the targets, development has stagnated or even gone backwards. In 2020, extreme poverty increased for the first time in decades, and the recovery has been tough, especially for low-income countries. Aftermath of the pandemic combined with armed conflicts and increased food prices have led to hundreds of millions of people not having the opportunity to eat their fill in 2023. At the same time, last year saw the hottest temperature on earth so far and disasters resulting from the climate affect people's ability to live, work and live. In addition, wars and armed conflicts have created a situation where more people than ever before have been forced to flee their homes. It is a worrying state of the world, and in this situation - as always - it is the children who are hit the hardest.

148 million children in the world under the age of five lack enough food to grow and develop according to FN. If trends continue, one in five children will suffer from stunted growth by 2030. In addition, only three out of four children have access to potable water and as many as 1 children under the age of five die every day due to lack of access to clean water , hygiene and sanitation, according to Unicef.    

A total of 250 million children between the ages of six and 18 do not have access to education. A figure which, according to Unesco, has increased by six million since the year 2021 alone. Poverty is the main reason, but political instability, armed conflicts and natural disasters are also obstacles. Children who do not go to school are often forced to work and are at greater risk of sexual abuse and child marriage. In addition, they have more difficulty finding work and more often have problems with their health as adults.  

Every fifth child today grows up in areas where armed conflicts are going on. According to one UN report from June this year, violence against children in conflict situations has increased in an alarming way. Children are increasingly recruited into wars, attacked in their homes and kidnapped on their way to school. In 2023, the equivalent of 15 children were killed per day in armed conflicts. In Gaza alone, 14 children have been killed since the war broke out, according to Unicef.   

Our recommendations

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the first version of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and we see that the overall picture of the situation of children globally is extremely disappointing. But we know that it is possible to change it. We are 14 organizations with long experience and broad competence in issues related to global development and children's rights. Every day, we and our partners work to protect, strengthen and develop children and their rights around the world. These are our joint proposals on how we can work together to strengthen children's rights:   

• Listen to children and young people and their demands. Join us and ensure that young people have the opportunity to have their say on decisions that affect their lives and futures. 
• Raise your voice for belligerent countries to respect international law's protection of civilians - it exists Inga excuses for children being the targets of bullets and bombs. 
• Strengthen cooperation between actors within Sweden and between civil society here and civil society in other countries. 
• Contribute to efforts that strengthen children's right to health, school and safety in the world. It is a prerequisite for safe and stable societies.  

Andreas Stefansson, secretary general of the Swedish Afghanistan Committee

Anna Nilsdotter, Secretary General WaterAid

Anna Tibblin, General Secretary We Effect

Erik Lysén, head Act Church of Sweden

Johanna Daven, general secretary of the IOGT-NTO movement

Josephine Sundqvist, Secretary General Läkarmissionen

Louise Lindfors, Secretary General Afrithe ka groups

Malin Duintjer, general secretary of the National Fund for the World's Children

Martina Hibell, secretary general of the Children's Fund

Matthias Brunander, General Secretary Diakonia

Matthias Ingeson, general secretary Erikshjälpen

Niclas Lindgren, director PMU

Ulrika Modéer, Secretary General of the Red Cross

Åsa Regnér, Secretary General Save the Children