Day of General Debate
Child Rights Connect is a non-governmental organization that works towards protecting the rights of the child. The organization was created 30 years ago and has been empowering children human right defenders ever since its creation. The committee’s focus has been to involve children human rights defenders from all over the world in their work of protecting children rights. In 2017 child rights connect proposed the idea of a day of general discussion on protecting and empowering children as human rights defenders to the UN Committee on the Rights of the child. Every two years the UN committee holds a day of general day discussion in Geneva and the committee accepted the proposal by child rights connect. This year in 2018 the UN Committee on the rights of the child is holding a general day discussion on «the protecting and empowering children human rights defenders», in Geneva on September 28th.
Many children around the world are not given the rights that they deserve, and the rights of the child are violated every single day. Children human rights defenders stand up against the injustice that children face and protect their rights. So, Child Rights Connect wanted children human rights defenders from all around the world to be a part of the general day debate happening in 2018. The organization selected 20 children human rights defenders through an application process from all around the world to participate in the Day of General Debate.
Out of the 20 children selected to participate in the debate, 2 children human rights defenders were selected from Inter-American Children’s Institute. Axel and I were chosen to represent CORIA at the Day of General Debate 2018. After the 20 children were selected a roadmap was developed to prepare for the general day debate. It consisted of all the different activities leading up to the debate over the course of 8 months. Many different tasks were given to the children human rights defenders to prepare them for the Day of General Debate, for example the defenders prepared and commented on documents that are supposed to be presented at the debate. Many different surveys were conducted amongst the children so that they can express their opinions and give feedback to Child Rights Connect. The children also mutually designed a logo representing the Day of General Debate and their committee.
For all children to fully participate and express their opinion in the Day of General Debate, they were assigned different roles according to their preferences. Some of the roles for the children were, plenary speakers, different working groups, icebreaker activity leaders, side event speakers, in charge of virtual activities and social media. The Day of General Debate takes place on September 28th with a preparation workshop on the 27th and a concluding workshop on the 29th. All children human rights defenders are working hard to prepare for their roles at the debate and looking forward to sharing their opinions with their fellow children human rights defenders.
Written by: Akanksha Sharma CORIA Canada