Description:
In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 2009, UNICEF has dedicated a special edition of its flagship publication The State of the World's Children to child rights. The report broadly assesses the Convention's impact on children's well-being and human development during the past two decades, addresses the critical challenges for the next 20 years and outlines an agenda for action to ensure the Convention's promise becomes a reality for every child.
More than seventy countries have incorporated children's codes into national legislation based on the Convention's provisions, and awareness and advocacy on child protection issues have increased markedly since the Convention was opened for signature 20 years ago.
The report includes special expert essays from public and private sector representatives, alongside examples of the child rights situation in a range of countries.
Many of the expert essays offer advice on the role the Convention can have, in an increasingly populous, urbanized and environmentally challenged world, over the next 20 years and beyond. The report also provides a range of suggestions that could ensure the protection of children's rights continues to advance.
More than 160 events are taking place worldwide commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Convention. The special edition of The State of the World's Children is part of UNICEF's contribution to those commemorations.