“How can we ensure that the DGD is not just a one-day show?”

This was the provocative question that Kate Gilmore, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, asked the child advisors during a private meeting with them at the DGD.
The children’s answer was as straightforward as the question: “we all have the responsibility to follow-up to the DGD as well as to put in place a mechanism to monitor and assess what will happen after the DGD. The DGD is just a start.

The theme of Child Human Rights Defenders was not just a one-day conference in Geneva during the 2018 Committee on the Rights of the Child Day of General Discussion (DGD), but an ambitious and long-term project of Child Rights Connect. We are seeking to promote a global movement for children human rights defenders. Such a movement will help to catalyse new, and strengthen existing, initiatives to empower and protect children as human rights defenders. It is also playing a vital and pioneering role to connect children human rights defenders across the world, and to many different activities at local, national, regional and international levels.

This page responds to the child advisors’ call for a platform to monitor the follow-up. It showcases direct follow-up activities to the 2018 DGD as well as examples of the different ways in which the global movement for child human rights defenders is growing at different levels and in many different forms. We hope that these impact stories will inspire you to get involved and to learn more about the ways in which children can be protected and empowered as human rights defenders.

Do you have a DGD follow-up story you wish to share with us? Please send it to secretariat@childrightsconnect.org with the subject ‘DGD follow-up’!  

Spotlight on child human rights defenders in Moldova

18 February , 2022|0 Comments

Child Rights Connect, its member Child Rights Information Center (CRIC) and a coalition of NGOs have been conducting innovative and experimental work that has put child human rights defenders (CHRDs) on the agenda in Moldova. [...]

Adopted General Comment No. 25 of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment incorporates some of Child Rights Connect’ key asks focusing on Child Human Rights Defenders (CHRDs)

24 March , 2021|0 Comments

On Wednesday 24th March, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (the Committee) officially launched their new General Comment No. 25 on children’s rights in relation to the digital environment taking into consideration [...]

NEW!: Launch of a Child-friendly UPR Guide!

11 December , 2020|0 Comments

Child Rights Connect and UPR info are delighted to announce the launch of “The UPR & Me: My Guide to Participating in the UPR”! Whilst there are many good practice examples of children’s participation in [...]

  • SDGs

Input to the OHCHR report on child rights and SDGs

13 June , 2019|0 Comments

The UN Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) is reporting annually to the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to provide inputs from a child rights perspective to the yearly thematic reviews of progress at [...]

The 2018 DGD outcome report is adopted!

13 June , 2019|0 Comments

We are delighted to announce that the CRC Committee has adopted the 2018 DGD outcome report on Protecting and Empowering Children as Human Rights Defenders!  It includes the detailed findings of the plenary and workshop discussions, and [...]

DGD child speaker Gabriel talks to Michel Forst at the ICSW

15 April , 2019|0 Comments

Last week, 17-year-old Gabriel from Brazil participated in the International Civil Society Week (ICSW) in Belgrade, Serbia, between 6 – 11 April. Invited by the Bridge 47 and CIVICUS and supported by our member the [...]

Children Human Rights Defenders in Scotland have developed a report on CHRDs and a child-friendly Declaration on HRDs!

13 April , 2019|0 Comments

Exciting follow-up to the DGD! Find out more here: https://www.cypcs.org.uk/defenders The eight recommendations of the report are explained here: https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news/in-the-news/children-and-young-people-defend-our-human-rights-here-are-eight-ways-adults-can-help-them-do-it Also, they have produced a child-friendly version of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders! Find [...]

The 2019 DGD Children’s Advisory Team!

13 January , 2019|0 Comments

11 child advisors are taking part in a 2019 DGD Children’s Advisory Team and will be empowered throughout this year to play a central role in several DGD follow-up activities and 30th anniversary events! In [...]

CHRDs recognised during Declaration’s 20th anniversary celebrations

13 December , 2018|0 Comments

During a high-level UN event marking the 20th anniversary of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in December 2018, children were recognised as human rights defenders and there were calls to afford them additional and stronger support and [...]

Celebrating Human Rights Day with our Child Advisors!

5 December , 2018|0 Comments

This Thursday 13th December, for Human Rights Day celebrations and to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, OHCHR organised a roundtable discussion with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, who [...]