Organized by the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, in collaboration with Child Rights Connect
About the event:
Child Rights Connect is proud to organise the exhibition “Children Human Rights Defenders” in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations Office.
The exhibition aims to deliver the message that children can act as human rights defenders. The exhibition will explain what it means to be a human rights defender, and that children can be human rights defenders too. They have a voice that deserves to be heard. Children all over the world are advocating for the realisation of their rights, their peers’ rights and the human rights of all, by acting as human rights defenders at local, national, regional and international levels. As human rights defenders, children play an essential and positive role in provoking change in the society. As a result, guests to the exhibition understand that it is important to recognize children as human rights defenders and make sure they have safe space and support to express their views and to participate in policy making.
Also, the exhibition also aims to change the perception the public has about children as merely vulnerable individuals in need of protection, and promote an understanding of children as rights holders who actively engage in the promotion and protection of human rights. The public includes policymakers, state representatives, human rights experts, children’s rights experts, schools, parents, etc.
About Child Rights Connect:
Child Rights Connect is a global network of more than 80 children’s rights organisations, strengthening children’s rights around the globe through the United Nations human rights mechanisms. www.childrightsconnect.org.
In 2017 Child Rights Connect launched a world-wide project to strengthen the recognition, empowerment and protection of human rights defenders, who are under 18 years old. The main 2018 milestone in this initiative, is the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Day of General Discussion (DGD) on this theme, which will take place on September 28, 2018 at the United Nations Palais des Nations in Geneva: http://www.childrightsconnect.org/day-of-general-discussion.
Children human rights defenders are participating at all levels of this project, shaping the process of the project itself, giving their views in a world-wide consultation, providing their suggestions to the programme of the DGD, in which they participate as experts in the discussions, as well as providing stories and materials for the exhibition.
The exhibition will be organized in collaboration with The Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva. The protection of human rights defenders and the rights of children are key priorities for Norway. UN General Assembly resolution 68/181 on the protection of women human rights defenders confirmed that the concept of human rights defenders applies to all ages. The exhibition will further our understanding of this concept, and what it means in the context of children’s rights.
