Child rights programming
Save the Children Sweden and partners apply children’s rights principles to plan, implement, and monitor a wide range of programmes intended to improve the position of children so that all boys and girls can fully enjoy their rights and live in societies that acknowledge and respect their rights. The child rights approach to programming is the basis of Save the Children’s work. This approach has a greater positive impact on the lives of children. Sustainability is strengthened by addressing the underlying causes of violations of children’s rights, and acting to bring about changes in policy and practice to make an enduring difference to children.
Children’s rights programming, therefore, puts the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into concrete practice.
Key components of children’s rights programming
Children are the focus: There is a clear emphasis on positive impact on children - their rights and support of their roles as social actors.
Holistic view: All aspects of a child and the child’s development are to be considered.
Accountability: Governments and families have the primary duty to respect, protect and fulfill children’s rights. In addition, many social actors should be promoting, protecting and supporting children’s rights, including the private sector, the media, child-care professionals, and other individuals in direct contact with children.
Support to those accountable: Those accountable are helped to meet their obligations through identification of responsibilities and support in fulfilling those responsibilities. Support may be in the form of capacity building, budgetary support, and other forms of technical assistance.
Information and knowledge: Access to and understanding of children’s rights is facilitated for children, communities, and governments.
Advocacy: Public education, awareness-raising and lobbying activities help to hold duty-bearers (those responsible) accountable to fulfill their obligations.
Participation: Children’s ethical and meaningful participation in projects, taking into account their evolving capacities, is actively promoted and supported.
Non-discrimination: All children are to have all their rights fulfilled, regardless of race, color, gender, language, religion, opinions, wealth, birth status or ability, or other status.
The best interests of the child: The impact of program choices on children is considered carefully, with ideas of children themselves taken into consideration.
Survival and development: After insuring immediate survival of children, the focus is on ensuring they are able to develop to their full potential.
Community: An aim is to strengthen understanding of the place of children in their families, communities and societies, as well as the roles of parents and other carers in defending children’s rights and guiding children’s development.
Root causes and broad issues: Situations are examined for rights gaps and violations. The underlying causes of the problem are assessed which usually results in identification of broad issues to work on, as well as immediate rights violations or gaps.
Partnerships: Partnerships and alliances are built to promote, protect, and fulfill children’s rights.