United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned on World Children’s Day that children’s rights worldwide are under direct attack and called for urgent action to create a safe and equal world for them.
Speaking in a video message, Guterres highlighted that the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified international treaty in history, reflects a fundamental truth: protecting the youngest members of the human family is essential to building a better world.
He added that poverty and emergencies are depriving millions of children of education, climate change threatens their futures, and new dangers are emerging in the online environment. Many children are forced to work or care for siblings, while war and famine have robbed thousands of their most basic right: the right to life.
Guterres emphasized that every child has the same rights, regardless of identity or location. He urged the international community to listen to children, amplify their voices, and act collectively to ensure their safety, well-being, and equal opportunities.
World Children’s Day is observed annually on November 20, marking the adoption of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. The day aims to raise awareness of children’s rights and encourage governments and communities to protect them and provide safe environments for growth and education.
