'Say YES for Children' campaign
Launched in 2001, campaign asked millions of people throughout the world to pledge their support for the Rallying Call for the Global Movement for Children (GMC).
The campaign sought to rally people behind 10 principles (imperatives) that seek to improve and protect the lives of children. They are:
1. Leave No Child Out
2. Put Children First
3. Care for Every Child
4. Fight HIV/AIDS
5. Stop Harming & Exploiting Children
6. Listen to Children
7. Educate Every Child
8. Protect Children from War
9. Protect the Earth for Children
10. Fight Poverty: Invest in Children
Who participated: More than 94 million people from 194 countries. It included children, adults, celebrities and other high-profile figures.
When: The campaign was launched on 16th April 2001
The campaigns objectives were to:
- Bring to public attention challenges faced by children and to spark debate on child rights nationally and globally
- Pledge leaders to take strong action on children rights
- Inspire unpresedented grassroots movement connecting children, their parents, and their grandparents with families in cities and villages in countries and continents across the world.
The campaign's outcomes:
- The ten imperatives that were voted on in the campaign became the basis for ‘'A World Fit for Children' – the outcome document of the UN Special Session’
- The ten imperatives became the foundation grounds for the Global Movement for Children. An organization wishing to join the Movement needs to respect and fully comply with the imperatives as well as the Convention on the rights of the child
- Through the vote, children pointed to education (imperative 7) as the top priority giving a chance for a brighter future.
- The voting ballot ‘Rallying Call Pledge’ was distributed around the globe focusing on the places with a lot of children (schools).
- The ballot was the list of ten challenges faced by children. People were asked to choose 3 out of the 10 most pressing problems in their countries.
- The ballot was targeted at four age groups: under 11; 12-17; 18-24; and 25+. The ballot also provided for gender
- In an effort to raise awareness Say Yes for Children involved a combination of printed materials, online information, and community organising of events; in some regions through daily newspapers, at schools and local community centres nationwide.