Children's rights

Children’s rights in Italy and around the world

Children’s rights must be guaranteed everywhere in the world. Yet, even today, millions of children live in situations where their rights are systematically denied. The consequences are serious: it compromises not only the present, but also the future of entire generations.

At WeWorld, we believe that growing up safely, learning, receiving proper care, expressing one’s opinion and playing are not privileges, but fundamental rights. We work every day to make sure these rights are upheld.

In our work, we engage children and adolescents who are on the margins – geographically, economically or socially – so that they can become agents of their own change.

We focus on those growing up in contexts marked by social and economic vulnerability: those living in geographical or social peripheries, those belonging to groups in fragile or marginalised situations, and those who often lack access to adequate educational, cultural and participatory opportunities. We choose to start with them because they are often excluded from decision-making processes, yet at the same time possess a great capacity for vision and change. Promoting their agency – the ability to choose, act and influence their own path and context – is the key to building a fairer society.

What are children’s rights?
Talking about children’s rights means starting from a fundamental principle: children have the right to live, grow up, be protected from all forms of abuse and actively participate in the social and cultural life of their community. This is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 and ratified by almost every country in the world.

But what exactly are the rights of children? Here are some of the most important ones:
- The right to education: children have the right to go to school and receive an inclusive, high-quality education.
- The right to protection: children must be protected from violence, abuse, exploitation and child labour.
- The right to health: access to medical care, vaccinations, clean water and adequate nutrition.
- The right to play and leisure: essential activities for emotional and social development.
- The right to express one’s opinion: children have the right to be heard in decisions that affect them.
- The right to a safe environment: to grow up in a place free from conflict, environmental disasters or political instability.
] Guaranteeing the rights of children today: a challenge that remains unresolved

Despite the progress made in recent decades, millions of children around the world are still denied their rights. Poverty, armed conflict, the climate crisis and social inequalities severely limit access to education, healthcare and protection.

The findings of the ChildFund Alliance World Index 2024 (formerly known as the WeWorld Index) are alarming. Using specific indicators, the report analyses the situation of women and children in 157 countries worldwide. The data in the report – which we presented in New York at the United Nations, contributing to the global debate on children’s rights – speaks for itself: 1 in 3 children lives in contexts where fundamental rights are severely restricted or entirely absent.

This means that millions of children are excluded from essential services and from any form of active participation. Their voices go unheard, and their potential goes unrecognised.
Children’s rights: our commitment
We work every day in over 20 countries around the world, to defend and guarantee the rights of children through concrete actions:
- We ensure access to inclusive, quality education even in the most critical contexts, such as emergencies and protracted crises.
- We combat child marriage and all forms of gender-based violence.
- We strengthen collaboration between schools, families and institutions.
- We run awareness campaigns to promote a culture of rights among the younger generations.
- We amplify the voices of children
- We promote the right to the future: the right of the youngest and youngest people – and of future generations – to live in a world that offers everyone the same opportunities to grow, thrive and have a say in decisions.
- We offer a listening ear and protection of fundamental rights to all people in transit in Ventimiglia, a border town where many children in transit face extremely high risks: trafficking, smuggling, social exclusion, detention and pushbacks. We create safe spaces for children, providing legal support and guidance on services, and promoting educational and awareness-raising activities in schools.
Through Child Sponsorship, you can help us ensure that thousands of children have access to education, healthcare, nutrition and protection, giving them the chance to grow up healthily and build a better future.

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The right to the future: a pact for the next generation

The right to the future is not a distant concept, but something that is built every day, starting with the guarantee of fundamental rights such as access to quality education, a healthy environment, play, protection and being listened to. This also means recognising that children and young people have thoughts, visions and abilities that can help transform the present and, therefore, the future. This requires adults, institutions and society to learn to listen to them, take them seriously and make space for them.

To this end, together with ChildFund Alliance, in 2024 we involved 10,000 children and adolescents in 41 countries in a global consultation; a participatory exercise that explored their expectations, dreams and fears regarding the future.

The message they have left us is clear: children want to be part of the decisions that affect them; they want to feel respected, recognised and free to build their own future. They are calling for rights, better living conditions and to be heard.

And it is precisely this awareness that guides our daily commitment to promoting the right to the future, a right that stems precisely from genuinely listening to the younger generations.

At WeWorld, we work around the world to ensure an inclusive, high-quality education for children. To achieve this goal, we engage teachers, families and institutions, promoting equitable, high-quality education at all levels. Among our activities: • We create safe and inclusive spaces where children and adolescents can grow, learn and thrive. In this context, we also work to improve school facilities – such as schools and canteens. • We offer educational workshops and psychological support, and promote health and hygiene – including menstrual hygiene – to ensure the full well-being of girls. • We work with teachers to strengthen the education system, utilising both formal and informal learning pathways; • We promote art therapy programmes – such as those in Kenya and Tanzania – for children with disabilities or who have experienced trauma and abuse, offering tools for self-expression and emotional support for their psychological wellbeing. • We support vulnerable children, with a particular focus on girls, to prevent school dropout and ensure an inclusive education. In emergency and protracted crisis contexts, marked by conflicts, climate crises or forced migration – such as in Mozambique, Ukraine, Syria and Palestine – we ensure educational continuity for children and adolescents. We do this through training for teaching staff, the provision of school materials and the improvement of infrastructure, creating safe and inclusive spaces where they can study and find stability. The aim is to reduce the risk of school dropout and the loss of essential skills. Nei contesti di emergenza e di crisi protratte, segnati da conflitti, crisi climatiche o migrazioni forzate - come in Mozambico, Ucraina, Siria e Palestina – assicuriamo la continuità educativa, attraverso la formazione del personale docente, la fornitura di materiali scolastici e il miglioramento delle infrastrutture, creando spazi sicuri e inclusivi dove poter studiare e ritrovare stabilità. In Italia, lavoriamo per ridurre le disuguaglianze educative, offrendo percorsi che garantiscono pari opportunità di apprendimentoe partecipazione a bambine, bambini e adolescenti. Con Frequenza 200 - programma attivo dal 2014 in sei città italiane (Roma, Aversa, Milano, Catania, Cagliari e Ventimiglia) - ragazzi e le ragazze dagli 11 anni in su possono accedere gratuitamente a supporto scolastico, sostegno psico-educativo, attività laboratoriali e spazi di libera aggregazione. Affianchiamo anche iniziative come “Exponi le tue Idee!” per promuovere il pensiero critico e il debate nelle scuole. Promuoviamo inoltre percorsi educativi per docenti e studenti e, con la Scuola delle Competenze, miglioriamo gli spazi scolastici per renderli più inclusivi e stimolanti. A queste azioni uniamo campagne di sensibilizzazione, come “Ristudiamo il calendario scolastico”, per favorire un modello di scuola più equo e attento ai bisogni di tutte e tutti.

Discover more

Children's rights

Children’s rights in Italy and around the world

What are children’s rights?

] Guaranteeing the rights of children today: a challenge that remains unresolved

Children’s rights: our commitment

The right to the future: a pact for the next generation

Education and children’s rights

Through child sponsorship, you can help ensure that children receive healthy meals, regular medical checkups, and the opportunity to attend school and build a brighter future.