Paris parents’ protest reignites debate on France’s education crisis

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education, Human Rights

In Paris, parents are demonstrating in the face of persistent difficulties that compromise their children’s access to quality education: increasingly frequent class closures, unreplaced absences and a general deterioration in teaching. At the same time, more and more teachers are leaving the profession due to low pay, deteriorated working conditions and lack of institutional support. […]

Guatemala’s efforts fall short in protecting girls from sexual violence

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Explotation, Human Rights, violence

Sexual violence against girls is a widespread and deeply rooted issue in Guatemala, often used as a tool to control and harm their bodies and futures. The alarming numbers of reported cases of sexual violence by girls have pushed the government to adopt a social protection programme called “Vida Programme” which is aimed at providing […]

Transforming food environments to protect children’s right to nutrition

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Health

Food environments surrounding us in our daily lives are failing to protect children’s right to nutritious, safe, affordable and sustainable food. However, examples from Finland, Brazil and Spain highlight the efficacy of programs to combat malnutrition like school meals programs, social protection programs and food literacy programs.  The impacts of unhealthy food environments In their […]

Addressing risky sexual trends in adolescents with better education

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Digital Environment, Explotation, Health

Dangerous sexual challenges like the “Sex roulette” and the rise of rates of unprotected sex represent a serious threat to adolescents’ health and well-being. However, young people ask for sexuality education and if they cannot find it at school or within the family environment, they look at social media to find answers to their questions […]

The price of social security in El Salvador at the expense of children’s rights

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Explotation, Human Rights, Poverty, violence

Almost 3,000 children have been arrested and 1,000 convicted over mostly gang membership-related charges in El Salvador as part of President Nayib Bukele’s so-called “war on gangs”. However, this success has come at a high cost for children’s rights. Children in juvenile detention facilities have reported torture, inhumane and unsanitary conditions, as well as a […]

The dark side of chocolate: child labour in the cocoa industry

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Explotation, Human Rights, Labour

When the world thinks of chocolate, they frequently think of Europe – of countries like Switzerland,  Belgium or the Netherlands – all of which are well known for the high-quality chocolate they produce. The reality, however, is that 70% of the world’s cocoa beans originate in Ivory Coast and Ghana, and over 2 million West African children […]

Children’s rights and the 2024 Paris Olympics: a milestone or a missed opportunity?

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Human Rights

The 2024 Paris Olympics, which are being held from 26 July until 11 August and which have incorporated for the first time a human rights dimension specifically into its Host City Contract, promise progress. However, the emphasis has been more on environmental sustainability than on children’s rights. Despite the perceived low risks due to the […]

Student kidnapping frightens Nigeria again

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education, Explotation, Human Rights, violence

As of early March 2024, Nigeria is living in a spiralling security crisis: over 380 children have been kidnapped by Islamist insurgents like Boko Haram in the country’s northeast and other criminal groups in the northwest. Thanks to the negotiations between the government and the gunmen, 137 students have been released, but many more are […]

Young citizens, young voters: Belgium lowers the voting age to 16 for the European elections

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Empowerment, Human Rights

The 2024 European Parliament election will have a new age group voting in Belgium. For the first time, 16 and 17-year-olds will vote for their representatives in the European Parliament, following the model of Austria, Greece, and Malta. After several interpretations, the Belgian Constitutional Court ruled that young Belgians would be subjected to compulsory voting […]