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Helping the most vulnerable families and supporting parents in their educational practices is one of our main missions, as it involves promoting children’s rights. The House of Families have been set up in several countries where we and our partners work, namely in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, Cambodia and the Philippines. Jules Kindembo, a social worker at the House of Families in Kinshasa (DRC), shares his deep commitment to supporting the most vulnerable families and his ambition to share his knowledge with children and their families.

Last week, we welcomed our local partner from Madagascar, the Plateforme de la Société Civile pour l’Enfance (PFSCE), in the context of the Universal Periodic Review* pre-session of Madagascar. Sarobidy and Olivier, two adolescents supported by PFSCE, were expected to come to Geneva to give a speech to the diplomats. Unfortunately, due to a visa refusal, they were unable to attend. As a result, the vice-president of the Plateforme made their voices heard at the United Nations by reading out the speech prepared by Sarobidy the pre-session of Madagascar. It was an emotional moment, let us tell you more!

Every year on 20 November, we celebrate World Children's Day. Like all others, children in street situations have rights. Yet all too often they are victims of stigmatisation, discrimination and violence. On this international day, we're giving them a chance to have a say: read the testimony of Erick, a young Peruvian supported by our partner Qosqo Maki, who came to speak at the United Nations in Geneva.

For the past 8 years, we have been organising an annual meeting of our international partners, who come together for the ‘Communities of Practice and Knowledge’. The goal is simple: to develop our skills and the tools of our partners, who are facing similar issues, particularly when it comes to supporting children in street situations. Ultimately, the aim is to develop our work as a network of civil society players.

Every 11 October, we celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child to highlight the particular inequalities and specific challenges faced by girls and young women. They represent 50% of the world's population, yet they are all too often forgotten and particularly subjected to violence. Young girls in vulnerable situations suffer serious discrimination that prevents them from accessing their rights. How can we support them in developing their skills and realising their dreams? Access to education and addressing violence are two key actions to achieve this.

In September, we had the pleasure of welcoming to Geneva Erick, a young Peruvian aged 17, and Jorge, head of Qosqo Maki, our local partner in Peru. They came to talk to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child during Peru's pre-session, which will shortly be examined by the experts. Qosqo Maki works closely with children and young people who, like Erick, are in street situations in Cusco.

To mark International Day for Street Children (12 April), two children who have lived on the streets of Madagascar came to Geneva to talk about their experiences at the United Nations. The two children spoke at the Human Rights Council's annual Day on the Rights of the Child, which focused on inclusive social protection. Ronaldo and Marie Elia, 13, tell the story of this extraordinary adventure.