Expect to see a lot of blue Wednesday for World Children’s Day
Children are taking over on Wednesday, speaking out for their rights.
Nov. 20 is UNICEF’s World Children’s Day, a day of action for children, by children.
UNICEF describes World Children’s Day as a time to celebrate the improvements for children’s well-being globally, but also a time to demand action to improve conditions for every child.
“There’s a lot anyone can do from the classroom to the boardroom as champions of children,” said Emily Brouwer, managing director of the Northwest Region for UNICEF USA, based in San Francisco.
“Anyone can take part, anywhere including in Modesto,” said Brouwer. “Show your support on social media with posts tagging #WorldChildrensDay and @UNICEFUSA.”
She said everyone is encouraged to wear cyan blue, the trademark color of UNICEF.
Children can use the day to speak out about issues important to them, such as at school assemblies and government meetings. Adults can also show their support for the younger generation by hosting a “takeover” by kids of key positions in media, government, sports and business to shine light on their concerns.
During last year’s celebration, many prominent places worldwide, such as the Empire State Building in New York City and the Opera House in Sydney Australia, were adorned with blue lights to show their support.
This is planned again for this year, including special ceremonies at UNICEF headquarters in New York City and the regional office in Houston with the “bluing” of the skyline at dusk.
UNICEF, founded in 1946, provides health care including immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education and emergency relief, as well as other services to support the world’s most vulnerable kids.
Convention on the Rights of the Child
This year’s celebration marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This treaty has helped improve children’s lives around the world — starting with the declarative that children are not property but human beings with individual rights.
The Convention includes 54 articles, and defines childhood as lasting until age 18. Generally, the articles address each child’s right to have a name and nationality, a family, shelter, education, health, food and water, safety and the opportunity to thrive. The treaty also spells out a government’s responsibility to a child.
The United States is the only country that has not ratified the treaty. Although the U.S. signed the treaty in 1995, a president has never sent it to the Senate for a vote for ratification because the doctrine doesn’t have a majority support.
Some opponents believe the treaty could undermine some U.S. laws. Some parent-rights groups opposed the treaty because they fear it could dismantle their rights, according to a report in The Economist.
Ratifying the treaty doesn’t assure a child’s well-being. For example, children continue to fare poorly in war-ravaged, treaty-signee countries such as Syria, Yemen and Sudan.
However, the treaty has contributed to improvements in children’s lives.
Henrietta Fore, executive director of UNICEF, wrote an open letter to all of the world’s children outlining successes of the past 30 years, including that globally more kids have access to schools, there are lower rates of malnutrition, higher immunization rates and lower child mortality.
However, Fore also cautioned that there is still great need for action on behalf of the world’s children. Two of the biggest threats are pollution and climate change, which imperil millions of children, in the U.S. and globally.
“We are so excited to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Convention,” said Brouwer. “It has done so much for children around the world.”
“UNICEF has saved more lives than any other humanitarian organization,” said Brouwer. “If people want to get more involved, including in Modesto, please check out https://www.unicefusa.org/we-wont-stop .”
This story was produced with financial support from The Stanislaus County Office of Education and the Stanislaus Community Foundation, along with the GroundTruth Project’s Report for America initiative. The Modesto Bee maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published November 19, 2019 at 3:44 PM.
