Meet our Children’s Advisory Team
Young advocates from around the world shaping international policy for children’s rights
What is the Children’s Advisory Team?
Child Rights Connect’s Children’s Advisory Team (CAT) is a global team of child human rights defenders who support Child Rights Connect to shape and take forward activities on children’s rights.
The CAT is part of the structure of Child Rights Connect and renews its mandate regularly.
When was the Children’s Advisory Team created?
The first organisational Child Rights Connect Children’s Advisory Team was created and began its activities in February 2020.
Child Rights Connect has created and supported Children’s Advisory Teams in the past, and we have built on the experiences and lessons learned from outgoing Child Advisors!
Some examples of our work in the past is that Child Rights Connect first supported a Children’s Advisory Team of 21 child advisors to be at the core of its activities for the 2018 UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s Day of General Discussion (DGD) on Protecting and Empowering Children as Human Rights Defenders. You can find out more about that here!
It then supported a global Children’s Advisory Team of 9 child advisors in the development of UNICEF’s official child-friendly UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Take a look for more information here!
Who is on the Team?
Meet our 2026 CAT !
If you want to get to know the 12 current child advisors better, click here.
We developed a child advisor selection process with our outgoing child advisors which you can read here- EN | FR | ES to ensure inclusivity, diversity and fairness. New child advisors will be selected every other year.
Each child advisor has a supporting organisation – you can read the Terms of Reference for the supporting organisations here – EN | FR | ES
The CAT developed and adopted its own Charter, you can read it here.
Putting Priorities into Action
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 1989 and known as the “Constitution of the Child,” lays the legal foundation for protecting children’s rights around the world. Click on the thumbnails below to see what our CAT Team has been doing to put these priorities into action.
Respect for Children’s Views
Environmental Rights
Social Rights
Right to Education
Children in Armed Conflict
Protection from Violence
Right to Health
What our CAT has been working on recently
Report on Digital Protection of Child Human Rights Defenders is published!
At the end of March 2026, Child Rights Connect has published a new survey report exploring the digital experiences and protection needs of child human rights defenders (CHRDs). Based on responses from 139 children across 20 countries, the [...]
Child-led European Regional Consultation, Moderated by the CAT
On 28 March, the next child-led regional consultation was organized to inform children about the development of the CRC Optional Protocol on free pre-primary and secondary education, bringing together participants from European countries. Moderated by [...]
Our Rights in War: A Child-Led Event by Children and CAT
On 10 March 2026, Child Rights Connect and its member organisations hosted the child-led side event “Our Rights in War,” creating a dedicated space for children and young people to share their experiences of conflict and to deliver [...]
Annual Day on the Rights of the Child 2026: Statement Delivered by CAT
On 9 March 2026, during the Annual Day on the Rights of the Child at the 61st session of the Human Rights Council, Sarah, one of the Child Advisors, delivered a statement via video message [...]
Child-Led Canada & Latin America Regional Consultation, Moderated by CAT
On 28 February 2026, two child-led regional consultations were organized to inform children about the development of the CRC Optional Protocol on free preprimary and secondary education. The first session brought together children from Canada, [...]
The Child-led African Regional Consultation on the upcoming 4th Optional Protocol on Free Pre-Primary and Secondary Education
On 16 December 2025, a child-led regional consultation was held to inform children about the development of the CRC Optional Protocol on free pre-primary and secondary education. Moderated by Layan and Denis, with CAT members [...]
Publications the Child Advisors have helped develop
A report about Children’s Vision for Human Rights! Have a read here in English.
The CAT was consulted to provide feedback on the Child-Friendly version of the 2023 Report to the Human Rights Council on child rights & inclusive social protection! Have a read here!
The CAT was consulted to provide feedback on the Child-Friendly version of the United Nation’s Committee on the Rights of the Child’s General Comment N.26! Have a read here!
A child-friendly Guide on the rights of child human rights defenders plus lots of other resources for CHRDs! Access here!
In progress… Participation in the Child Rights Mainstreaming process & Development of child-friendly version of UN Guidance Note on Child Right Mainstreaming
