Children’s rights need ultimate protection
The global community celebrates International Children’s Day on 20 November. WAGGGS calls all Girl Guides and Girl Scouts worldwide to observe this day in recognition of the protection of children’s rights. WAGGGS has promoted children’s rights since it was founded. For nearly a century WAGGGS and its members have enabled girls around the world to understand and promote their rights as responsible citizens of the world. Only last year the World Association was awarded the Child Rights Prize together with the World Organization of Scout Movement by the Italian Parliament.
Elspeth Henderson, Chairman of WAGGGS’ World Board said in her speech at the award ceremony:
These rights translate into action around the world. WAGGGS’ Member Organizations run programmes and projects which strengthen and empower our members to understand and use their rights. We also educate girls and young women about the responsibilitiesthat go with these rights.
Our members are engaged in projects on nutrition, literacy and community development in countries as far apart as Brazil, Rwanda and Malaysia
The date 20 November marks the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.
Since WAGGGS’ theme has been Our Rights, Our Responsibilities. We have concentrated on six rights:
- girls worldwide say “we have the right to be happy”
- girls worldwide say “we have the right to work together”
- girls worldwide say “we have the right to live in peace”
- girls worldwide say “we have the right to learn”
- girls worldwide say “we have the right to be heard”
- girls worldwide say “I have the right to be me”
The following organizations provide further information on the International Day of the Child and children’s rights:
Your comments
Jewel 2 November 2007 - 4.10AM (GMT)
I beleive that the rights of children have been and continues to be eroded by the many forms of child abuse. I hope that on November 20th that girl guides and girl scouts throughout the world would be a great day to commemorate the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.
Rosanne Armstrong 25 November 2006 - 1.03AM (GMT)
Children are not only the future of mankind; they are our present, our today, our now! Now, today is when all their rights are needed. Now, today, is when we are here to be responsible with our children.
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