Twenty-five years ago the United Nations set up the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a human rights treaty which sets out the political, economic, civil, health, social and cultural rights of children.
Marked annually on 20 November, Universal Children’s Day celebrates this historic milestone – which serves as a reminder that much remains to be done for child rights worldwide.
The date also marks the day on which the General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959, a series of related children’s rights proclamations drafted by Save the Children founder Eglantyne Jebb in 1923.
What is the history behind the declaration?
In December 1954, the Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children’s Day – to be observed as a worldwide understanding of children’s rights and needs.
Firstly, the day was established to encourage all countries to institute a day to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children, while initiating action to benefit and promote the welfare of children globally.
Over the decades, the aims of the day have expanded. In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals outlined by world leaders focused on stopping the spread of HIV and Aids by 2015. While it applies to all people, the emphasis remains on preventing the infection of children.
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