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

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, 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, Exploitation, 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 […]

The power of music on children’s well-being

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education

Music is humanity’s universal language which can help people connect, communicate, express, learn and grow. Music can also be a therapeutic tool to develop children’s physical, emotional and social well-being. By supporting them in expressing their feelings and developing their cognitive functions, music can help children feel included and boost their self-esteem. How music affects […]

Pink for girls, blue for boys: why toys for children should be free from stereotypes

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education

Gender stereotypes are present in everyday life, including in the toys for children. They impose a significant impact on children’s personal growth and development, as they can reinforce social expectations regarding gender roles and influence their future choices. Opting for gender-neutral toys which allow children to discover their interests and acquire new skills is the […]

Child poverty realities: insights from four European nations

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

According to a recent report, one child out of four is at risk of child poverty and social exclusion in Europe. The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, followed by and coupled with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, have exposed and exacerbated inequalities, increasing the number of children at risk. In this context, children from four European countries […]

General Comment No. 26 (GC26): a step forward for children’s participation in climate change

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

The climate crisis is changing the world as we know it. Even if children are the least responsible for the climate crisis, they are at the forefront of fighting against this crisis which is most than all a children’s rights crisis. With the publication of General Comment No. 26 (GC26), the United Nations Committee on the Rights of […]

Child labour in agriculture: a hazardous but common practice worldwide

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Labour

Worldwide, the majority of child labour (70 percent) is found in the agriculture sector (FAO, 2023). More specifically, today 112 million boys and girls are engaged in child labour in crop production, livestock, forestry, fisheries or aquaculture, which often involves working long hours and hazardous conditions. While many of the challenges can be traced back to root causes like poverty, […]

TikTok versus children’s privacy: pros and cons of the most popular app for teens 

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Digital Environment, Education, Empowerment, Exploitation

Recently TikTok has been fined £12.7m for illegally processing the data of 1.4 million children under 13 who were using its platform without parental consent. This is the latest step taken by public authorities against the most popular app, but many other states have adopted measures to limit its use to protect child and adult […]