Children's Rights

2024 Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child

On 20 November, 2024,

Commemorating the centennial of the Geneva Declaration, adopted by the League of Nations on 26 September 1924, the first declaration of children’s rights endorsed by an inter-governmental body and therefore affirming the universality of children’s rights,

Recalling the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) adopted 35 years ago (20/11/1989) and since ratified by 196 States Parties (out of 197), many of which also acceding to the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (OPSC), the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict (OPAC), and the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure (OPIC),

Taking note of many significant achievements over the last 100 years with regard to children’s rights and wellbeing,

Alarmed nonetheless by the hundreds of millions of children around the world affected by poverty, violence, and climate change and the many other challenges they face in their lifetime that impact their physical health and mental resilience,

Deeply preoccupied by the plight of the children of today and of future generations unless urgent, comprehensive and collective action is undertaken to protect and promote their rights,

Recognizing the exceptional contributions of all human rights defenders and in particular child human rights defenders,

We exhort each and every State (local and national authorities), organisation – both governmental and non-governmental –, and all concerned persons, children and adults alike, to

• reaffirm their commitment, also in the spirit of international cooperation and solidarity, to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of all children enshrined in the UNCRC and its Optional protocols without any discrimination,
• endorse the following Renewed Geneva Declaration for Children’s Rights calling for as a matter of priority to commit that all children of today and of future generations:

1. live in conditions of dignity and wellbeing, out of poverty, and with the highest attainable standard of health,
2. grow up in communities no longer affected by armed conflicts,
3. be listened to and have their opinions count in all decisions affecting them, thus recognizing their fundamental right to participate in shaping the communities they live in,
4. flourish in a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment conducive to their survival, development, and to the enjoyment of all their rights,
5. benefit from a safe and empowering experience in the fast-evolving digital environment in which they can conserve their agency and be digitally literate to navigate securely,
6. be protected from all forms of violence (physical, psychological, and sexual) in all settings, including in the home,
7. have their best interests respected in all current and future biotechnological developments,
8. access child-friendly systems of justice and commensurate remedies when their rights are violated,
9. are provided with free and inclusive early, primary, secondary, and vocational education with no discrimination,
10. experience the positive uniqueness of childhood that every person could wish for himself, herself, or themselves.