Children’s rights
Children’s rights are based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and are about safeguarding the rights and interests of children and young people in society. This area covers all activities that affect children, such as education policy, migration policy, culture policy and social services policy.
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News about children’s rights
The Convention on the Rights of the Child becomes Swedish law
Today Sweden takes a historic next step by incorporating the Convention on the Rights of the Child into Swedish law. It is a step to further protect the rights of the child and ensure that children are provided with the conditions necessary for their development. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which makes clear that a child under the age of 18 has specific rights, is one of the most important tools for ensuring that children’s rights are met. The Convention states, for example, that children have the right to protection from violence, the right to education and the right to benefit from social security. It also states that children have the right to freely express their views in all matters affecting them and to be listened to – a right that is essential both for the individual child and for creating a better society for all children. A core principle of the Convention is that in all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child must be a primary consideration.
Content about children’s rights
Total 33 hits.
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Swedish Statement at the Security Council Open Debate on Youth, Peace and Security
National statement delivered by Ambassador Irina Schoulgin-Nyoni on behalf of Sweden at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on Youth, Peace and Security, 23 April 2018, New York.
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Fact sheet: Action plan to combat prostitution and trafficking in human beings
The action plan to combat prostitution and trafficking in human beings can be seen as part of broader efforts to prevent and combat men’s violence against women.
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Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström and Fryshuset Foundation CEO Johan Oljeqvist to host the Child Forum on Children and Armed Conflict
On Thursday 22 March, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Fryshuset Foundation will hold a Child Forum, focusing on children and armed conflict. The Child Forum is part of a series of child consultations hosted in a number of countries.
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Statement on behalf of Sweden and Kuwait at the Security Council Briefing on Syria
Statement delivered by Ambassador Carl Skau on behalf of Sweden and Kuwait at the Security Council Briefing on Syria, 28 February 2018, United Nations, New York.
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New solutions in focus at the End Violence Against Children Solutions Summit
As one of the currently 15 pathfinding countries, Sweden, was the first to host the 2030 Agenda for Children: End Violence Against Children Solutions Summit in cooperation with the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children and the WePROTECT Global Alliance on 14-15 February. During the Summit, both Japan and The United Arab Emirates made a commitment to become pathfinding countries, with Brazil expressing interest too. In addition, Japan announced that the country donated 6 million US Dollars to the Fund to End Violence Against Children.
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Protecting children today prevents conflicts tomorrow
In Yemen, one child dies every ten minutes because of extreme hunger and disease resulting from conflict. Close to 10 million children remain at risk; bearing the brunt of a crisis that they hold no responsibility for, or control over. In Syria, schools – where children should find safety – are regularly attacked; denying them both education and protection. Six million children in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance. Millions more are seeking refuge in neighbouring countries and beyond. And, despite the fact that over 115,000 children have been released from armed groups since 2000, children continue to be recruited as soldiers and used in conflicts. Children are the most vulnerable and suffer most from conflict. How they are treated has consequences not only for their own future, but for that of their communities and countries. Sweden has a tradition of working to strengthen the protection of children in conflict, and we are using our membership of the Security Council to further advance this work.
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Prime Minister Stefan Löfven to open an international high-level conference on violence against children
The Swedish Government is hosting the high-level conference Agenda 2030 for Children, End Violence Solutions Summit in Stockholm on 14–15 February 2018. The participants include Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, HM Queen Silvia and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed. The co-organisers of the conference are the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children and WePROTECT Global Alliance.
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Refugee girls and women: Moving forward on migration policy
On 7 December, the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU hosted two panel discussions on women and girls in EU migration policy. The discussions provided input to political decision making processes in the field of migration.
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Address by Ambassador for Children and Armed Conflict, Gufran Al-Nadaf, at "Children in the Peace Process"
Bogotá, Colombia, 17 November 2017. Check against delivery.
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Speech by Swedish Ambassador for Children and Armed Conflict on Afghanistan
10 November 2017, The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Stockholm. Check against delivery.