The Centre’s study tour arrived in Geneva this week.
The group met with Alex Conte, Executive Director, Agnew Gracie Cordero, Head of Programmes, and the team at Child Rights Connect. Established in 1983 initially as the Ad Hoc NGO Group for drafting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Child Rights Connect is dedicated to promoting and safeguarding children’s rights worldwide. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and collaboration with international stakeholders within the UN system, they bridge human rights principles with the everyday realities of children’s lives.
Operating as a network with members at national, regional, and international levels, including other child-led organisations, Child Rights Connect collaborates closely with national NGOs, UN agencies, governments, and children. It maintains a unique working relationship with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations.
Since its inception, Child Rights Connect has influenced significant child rights milestones, including drafting all UN treaties on children’s rights. It is recognised as a leading authority on the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Learn more about Child Rights Connect.
Meeting with Ron Pouwels, coordinator at the UNICEF Global Child Protection Area of Responsibility (CP AoR), the group learnt how child protection work is coordinated internationally during humanitarian crises.
Children in humanitarian crises are at the greatest risk of injury and disability, physical and sexual violence, and psychosocial distress. They may be separated from their families, recruited into armed forces, economically exploited, or come into contact with the justice system. The CP AoR, led by UNICEF, is a community with a wide, diverse and active membership of national and international organisations committed to supporting and providing the coordination of child protection response and prevention activities in humanitarian crises.
The CP AoR maintains the capability to rapidly deploy coordination, information management and technical experts to new and protracted crises. It provides guidance materials and supports capacity development initiatives to strengthen coordination and build local capacity. Help desks operating in four different languages provide in-country staff with rapid support and guidance. It works in close partnership with other leading child protection actors and the wider protection community, strengthening protection analysis and supporting a more holistic response, including prevention and preparedness activities.
Learn more about the work of the CP AoR here.
The group also met with Emily Roper, Ambassador at the Australian Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva. The Mission engages with the UN, its specialised agencies and other forums to promote our national interests and helps to develop global responses on a range of issues, including children’s rights. This can involve negotiating, advocating and promoting Australia’s policies, as well as working with countries to achieve common objectives. The Australian Mission supports and works with UN agencies to assist them to fulfill their potential to promote development and peace, respond to humanitarian challenges, including protecting children’s rights. The Mission represents Australia at the Human Rights Council and its subsidiary mechanisms and advocates strongly for our national positions and policies. Australia is a party to all major human rights treaties and the Mission engages with the bodies established under these treaties
to promote their universal adherence and implementation.
Learn more about the work of the Mission.
