Japan steps towards free high school education for all

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education

A new chapter has begun in Japan’s educational history: high school education is now free for all students, regardless of household income. This landmark reform, effective since April 2025, stems from a historic parliamentary agreement and is expected to have far-reaching implications for students, their families, and the nation’s future. It marks a transformative moment […]

Thailand’s air pollution crisis threatens children’s health, development, and education

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

Thailand’s air pollution crisis is no longer just an environmental issue—it has become a full-scale public health emergency, with children at its epicentre. Every day, millions of Thai children inhale toxic air, putting their health, development, and future at serious risk. Driven by urban smog, agricultural burning, and industrial emissions, the crisis has turned breathing […]

“ISIS brides” and their children: Ongoing violations of children’s rights in Syria and Iraq

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Digital Environment, Exploitation, Human Rights, violence

Between 2013 and 2019, an estimated 664 to 746 Western women travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State (ISIS). Women and girls supported ISIS not only by marrying fighters, but also by engaging in propaganda, recruitment, and in some cases, armed roles. After the fall of the Caliphate in 2019, many of […]

The rise of livestreamed child sexual exploitation in the Philippines

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Digital Environment, Exploitation, Human Rights, violence

The Philippines has become one of the most prominent global hubs for livestreamed child sexual abuse. Fueled by extreme poverty, family complicity, and unchecked internet expansion, children are exploited in real-time for foreign predators. Weak enforcement and corruption leave a large number of children at risk, with survivors facing lifelong trauma. Without stronger laws and […]

Discrimination and exclusion define life for migrant children in Italy

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Education, Exploitation, Health, Human Rights, Migration, refugees

Migrant children in Italy are facing systemic discrimination and exclusion driven by the country’s entrenched migration policies. Instead of providing protection and opportunity, Italian laws and practices increasingly isolate young migrants from society, further stripping them of their rights to education, health care, and safety—rights which are guaranteed under international law. The worsening political climate […]

The current teenage pregnancy crisis in the Philippines

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Health, Human Rights, Poverty

Teenage pregnancy remains a pressing issue in the Philippines, with profound consequences for young mothers, their children, and society as a whole. The crisis disproportionately impacts out-of-school youth and girls from impoverished families, as poverty, a lack of education, and limited access to health services increase their vulnerability. Despite ongoing efforts, the country continues to […]

Denmark’s experiment on Inuit children: a painful legacy of forced assimilation

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Health, Human Rights, Indigenous people

In Denmark and Greenland, the legacy of colonialism continues to fracture Inuit communities—most visibly through the treatment of Indigenous children. Despite formal apologies and recent policy shifts, deep-rooted biases still drive unequal treatment and lasting psychological harm. The struggle for justice and cultural survival remains far from over. Historical background and motivation Denmark’s relationship with […]

Generations of children growing up in the Kakuma Refugee Camp 

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Health, Human Rights, refugees, violence

Kakuma Refugee Camp, located in northwestern Kenya, has evolved from a temporary shelter into one of the world’s largest refugee settlements. Originally intended to house displaced individuals fleeing conflicts in Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, the camp now hosts refugees from various nations. Among them, there are many children facing severe challenges in accessing their fundamental […]

The current state of child labour in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Health, Human Rights, Labour, Poverty

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is home to over 50% of the world’s cobalt reserves. Cobalt is an essential mineral for rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones, and renewable energy technologies. However, this critical resource comes at a staggering human cost: the exploitation of child labour in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). […]

The ongoing removal of Aboriginal children from their families of origin in Australia 

Posted on Posted in Children's Rights, Exploitation, Human Rights, Indigenous people

Despite a national apology nearly two decades ago, Australia’s First Nations children are still being removed from their families of origin at alarming rates. In Western Australia, Aboriginal children make up only 7 percent of the child population but nearly 60 percent of those placed in out-of-home care. The government must urgently strengthen support for […]