World Children's Day 20th November

Mini Mother's union Group gathering in the Diocese of Liverpool

November 20th is a key date in the calendar; it is the date in 1959 when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It is also the date when in 1989 the UN General assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

World Children’s Day is a day of action for children, by children, that celebrates all children’s rights and the power of their voices in changing our world across the globe.

The Convention contains 54 articles covering all aspects of a child’s life and sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children across the world are entitled to. It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights.

Every child has rights, whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, language, abilities or any other status.

The World council of Churches have recently collaborated with UNICEF to develop and implement a set of principles “The Churches Commitments to children”

It has three key statements:

  1. Promote child protection through church communities: The church will do everything possible to keep children safe.
  2. Promote meaningful participation by children and adolescents. The church will try very hard to make all decisions together with children when such decisions have something to do with Children's lives. They also have to plan activities for children together with children.
  3. Raise Church voices for intergenerational climate justice, supporting initiatives for and with children and adolescents: The church will organise activities with children to protect our planet and to deal with problems caused by climate change.

For further information & details on this document
 
Download a film clip to show in the church to explain these commitments. 

As a Diocese, we would encourage you to use this date each year to highlight listening to the children & young people in your church/school/community, and encourage them to take action on an important topic.

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