A renewed
commitment to
children's rights

The Declaration of Geneva has provided the foundation for international children’s rights. In today’s world where children face some many challenges and crises, we need to remind ourselves of the very core of that foundation: Mankind owes to children the best it has to give and all children of today and of future generations are entitled to that. 

One Hundred Years of Working for Children’s Rights. As we commemorate the first 100 years since the Geneva Declaration, it is good to remember we are part of a long chain of advocates; our work to defend children’s rights is never completely done but every effort counts, there will be new leaders who will continue to work with children to face new challenges worldwide.

It is very important at this moment in time to recommit to the realisation of child rights. Not only because we commemorate the global commitment made 100 years ago, but because child rights realisation is still an ideal for many children across the world. Times have changed, requiring us all to reflect on how we evolve our thinking on child rights. But at the same time, the fundamentals have not shifted significantly – we still require child rights champions to promote and protect child rights.

The endorsement of this Renewed Declaration is a must. Over the last 100 years, some progress—but only some—has been made with regard to the protection and safeguard of the several rights of children. The second reason responds directly to an evolved context where new challenges have emerged, especially with the rapid progress in technology. It thus behooves us all to commit ourselves to fulfilling our universal obligations that are so succinctly captured in the 2024 Geneva Declaration on the Rights of the Child.

There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” – so proclaimed Madiba Nelson Mandela. The 1924 Geneva Declaration asserted that humanity “owes to the Child the best that it has to give.” As the world celebrates its 100th anniversary, I am inspired to sign the Renewed Geneva Declaration and take the vow to uphold and ensure the inherent rights of the child in the best interest of humanity.

As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Geneva Declaration, we must all ask ourselves if we have done our utmost to give every Child the best we have to give. Adoption of the Declaration was a watershed moment for all children: Recognition of the human rights of every child. And that the society had an obligation to protect, promote, and provide ample circumstances and opportunities for every child to realize their inherent basic human rights here and now. We must all recommit our pledge to fulfill what we had promised 100 years ago to every child in the present and for future generations.

Today, by celebrating the 2024 Geneva Declaration, we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the rights of all children. Protecting children’s rights to safety, education, and dignity is not just a moral duty but an imperative. This is crucial for their future and for building lasting peace.

Our 2024 Geneva Declaration on the Rights of Rights of the Child is an aspirational call to mobilize and to truly put children at the centre of our collective human concern. But vision without action is a daydream, we must now bend political will into concrete steps fulfinling the rights of all children.