Advocacy
Call for concrete and sustainable changes in public policies concerning vulnerable young people and families.
Every child has basic rights recognized by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Yet, millions of children face extreme difficulties in many parts of the world. We support our partners in advocating with national and international decision-makers to promote concrete change and the implementation of children’s rights.
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Methodological support and a platform at the UN
We give our partners personalized support and specific training to strengthen their capacity to influence their decision-makers.
With our help, they testify to the plight of children in their countries, propose solutions and call upon governments and the international community to take action, particularly during the Universal Periodic Review and the Committee on the Rights of the Child
Advocacy through testimonies for and by young people
We place those most closely concerned at the centre of our advocacy work. Giving young people and families a voice makes them visible and empowers them over their own lives.
Together, we report to political decision-makers, the international community and society on the problems encountered and propose concrete solutions to bring about changes in public policy and behaviour in line with children’s rights.
In the street, you don’t sleep properly; the police chase you away. You constantly have to move.Louisaa young girl living on the street
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Spotlight on children in street situations
Children in street situations live all over the world. They are more or less visible depending on the country.
Like all children, they have rights. However, children in street situations are disregarded. That is why we and our partners are committed to defending and promoting respect for their rights so these children can grow up in dignity and flourish.
What we know
- One-fifth of the world’s children work and/or live on the street.
- Children in street situations are deprived of their basic rights and suffer violence and discrimination.
- Homelessness and survival behaviours such as begging and vagrancy are grounds for punishment in many countries.
- Child protection laws are often poorly enforced, budgets are inadequate and children’s rights are not well known.
Being in a street situation can mean:
- Sleeping on the street and having no contact with your family
- Living on the street with your family
- Alternating between the street and reception centres
- Working or spending most of the time on the street and going home at night
These girls and boys all have different stories, but the street plays a central role in their daily lives and significantly shapes their identities.
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Our campaigns
International Day for Street Children
Celebrated every year on 12 April, the International Day for Street Children aims to give voice to millions of children in street situations and to recall the importance of recognizing their rights.
