Today, we mark the 35th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a landmark achievement that has driven profound change in the protection of children worldwide.
The EU reaffirms its commitment to upholding every child’s rights, enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, within Europe and globally, ensuring they have a voice in the present we are living and in the future we are building.
This year’s theme, “Listening to the Future,” calls on all of us to listen actively to children’s hopes, ideas, and concerns.
Through initiatives like the EU Children’s Participation Platform and the Youth Action Plan, the EU creates spaces where children and young people can engage in decisions that shape their lives, both locally and internationally.
Globally, the EU’s commitment to protecting children’s rights extends to areas experiencing conflict and crises, from Ukraine, to the Sahel, to Sudan and to the Middle East. In these regions, children face an unprecedented rise of extreme violence, displacement, and the loss of education and health care support. In Gaza alone, 70% of people killed are women and children and children under the age of 9 are the most frequent casualty caused by this war. Moreover, according to the United Nations, there has been an increase of 21% of violence against children and the violation of their rights in 2023 alone.
Through the EU’s updated Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, we are stepping up efforts to protect children, uphold legal safeguards and international humanitarian law, and hold perpetrators to account. Partnering with the UN, regional and local organisations, the EU supports children with access to education, health and psychosocial care in these high-risk areas.
Our flagship European Child Guarantee seeks to break the cycle of poverty by ensuring access to essential services like healthcare, education, nutrition, and safe housing for vulnerable children. At the same time, the EU is expanding support for mental health initiatives, aiming to build emotional resilience and social stability for all children.
The European Commission Recommendation on integrated child protection systems encourages collaboration across services to prevent violence against children and to provide support when harm occurs.
In a rapidly changing digital landscape, the EU is dedicated to securing children’s online rights. The Digital Services Act (DSA) requires digital platforms to prioritise the safety and privacy of children. Alongside this, the Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) initiative works across the EU to boost digital literacy, provide awareness raising material, information, education resources, and create a safer internet environment for young people.
Children’s voices also influence our climate policies. Under the European Green Deal, the EU prioritises action to address the climate crisis, focusing on creating a sustainable world for future generations. We encourage children to participate in climate action, recognising them as essential advocates today and potential leaders tomorrow.
These initiatives reflect the EU’s commitment to a fairer society, where every child must be given the possibility to thrive and help shape Europe’s future. On World Children’s Day, we renew our promise to invest in the well-being and rights of every child, ensuring that our policies and actions today improve their lives now and lead to a better tomorrow for them all.
Background on EU Child Rights Initiatives
In 2021, the EU launched the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, a comprehensive framework addressing six priority areas: child participation, socio-economic inclusion, health and education, protection from violence, child-friendly justice, children’s rights in the digital environment, and the global dimension covering fighting child labour, to the protection of children in armed conflict and stepping up support to education world-wide. The EU Children’s Participation Platform engages children from over 80 organisations across 24 Member States, allowing them to share their views on EU policy, including safety recommendations that influenced the recent EU Recommendation on child protection.
The European Child Guarantee stands as a key initiative aimed at addressing poverty and social exclusion among children. This recommendation works to meet children’s basic needs in areas such as health, education, and housing, especially for vulnerable groups like children in poverty or with disabilities. The EU is committed to expanding support in early education, digital skills, and mental health resources. To further enhance children’s access to early education, the Revision of the Barcelona Targets was introduced, encouraging Member States to improve participation in early childhood education.
Under the Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health, children’s mental health is prioritised, with funding directed to accessible care and early support initiatives. A focus on paediatric cancer also forms part of the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan, further reflecting the EU’s health commitment.
In the digital sphere, the Better Internet for Kids (BIK+) strategy ensures children’s online safety by promoting digital literacy, reducing cyber risks, and upholding privacy standards. Through Safer Internet Centres in each Member State, children and caregivers can access counselling and reporting tools to address online issues. Reaching over 30 million people annually through the BIK portal and Safer Internet Centres, these programmes provide children and families with practical tools to navigate digital challenges. The Digital Services Act (DSA) adds further protections by mandating online platforms to evaluate the risks their services pose to children and implement controls to shield young users from harmful or inappropriate content. The DSA’s focus on child safety also obliges large platforms to consider the long-term mental and physical impacts of their content and features on children, requiring action to mitigate these risks.
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) similarly mandates online media providers to use age verification and parental controls to prevent children’s exposure to harmful content. To further support research on child well-being, the EU’s Horizon Europe programme funds projects across education, social inclusion, health, mental health, and digital protection, enhancing the EU’s evidence-based approach to child rights.
In conflict zones, the EU has long upheld children’s rights. Through its updated Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, the EU strengthens protections against recruitment, abduction, violence, and disruption to education. The 2024 guidelines highlight accountability for perpetrators and enhance EU cooperation with UN partners, aiming to provide children in conflict with vital education, healthcare, and psychological support. Additionally, the Checklist for Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Missions ensures that child protection remains integral to EU crisis management.
The EU also listens to children’s climate concerns, with the European Green Deal serving as a central strategy to address environmental threats and sustainability. Children’s input informs our green policies, as we strive to protect the planet they will inherit.
Through these combined efforts, the EU’s child rights initiatives ensure that the needs, voices, and rights of young people are at the forefront of European policy.
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