Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the Global Movement for Children?
2. What is the history of the Global Movement for Children?
3. Which organisations are working in support of the Global Movement for Children?
4. What are the current activities of these organisations?
5. How does this group within the Global Movement for Children address child rights issues?
6. Who are the members of the Global Movement for Children, and how can others register and contribute?
7. Who can use the logo of the Global Movement for Children?
8. What brings together and unites the organisations that comprise the Global Movement for Children? What do the organisations get out of it?
9. Can we fundraise through the Global Movement for Children?
10. How can a private sector company participate in the Movement?
11. What role do Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel play in the Movement?
12. What is the 'Convention on the Rights of the Child', the 'Special Session' and the World Fit for Children and what do they have to do with the Movement?

1. What is the Global Movement for Children?

The Global Movement for Children (GMC) is the world-wide movement of organisations and people - including children - uniting efforts to build a world fit for children.

People of all ages and all nationalities, along with organisations and institutions, are working together as part of the Global Movement for Children, determined to build a world fit for children and for all of us. Their message is straightforward: only by working together will we turn the tide in favour of children.

The changes needed throughout the world to protect the rights of children begin with actions taken by all of us. Everyone must play their part, from governments to organisations and individuals, including children. The name, logo and principles of the Global Movement are offered to all who stand for the rights of children, as means of displaying solidarity and as a banner under which to rally. The Global Movement for Children is a force for change involving each and every one of us. Make sure you’re a part of it!

2. What is the history of the Global Movement for Children?

The origins of the children’s movement were early in the last century. It has grown dramatically in recent years and gained greater coherence with the drafting and entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It achieved still greater momentum as a result of the 1990 World Summit for Children; Graça Machel's seminal study on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children; a series of global campaigns against landmines, child labour, sexual exploitation, and the use of child soldiers; and the UN General Assembly’s Special Session on Children, in 2002.

It was at the time of the Special Session that the name Global Movement for Children (GMC) was first coined, as more that 94 million people voted in the Say Yes for Children campaign on actions to improve the lives of the world’s children. The purpose of naming the Global Movement for Children was to help make visible to the world’s leaders the thousands of organisations and millions of citizens, voters - and children themselves - who are today united in this cause.

3. Which organisations are working in support of the Global Movement for Children?

The Global Movement for Children is composed of all of the organisations, institutions and people that are committed to children's rights. Everyone working with and for children is part of the Global Movement for Children.

Ten of these child rights organisations and networks are currently working together on a number of common initiatives in support of and as part of the Global Movement for Children. These organisations are committed to the concept and potential of the Global Movement for Children. Their aim in working together is to promote a number of activities within the Movement to help strengthen and stimulate the Movement in to further collective action. The CEOs of these organisations and other representatives meet regularly throughout the year to work towards this aim. There is a purposefully small secretariat that works to help co-ordinate these activities.

The organisations currently involved in this group are: BRAC, CARE, ENDA Tiers Monde, the Latin American & Caribbean Network for Children, NetAid, Oxfam, Plan, Save the Children, UNICEF and World Vision. Find out more about these organisations and their representation, as well as how to join in with their campaigns here.

4. What are the current activities of these organisations?

This group of organisations has recently initiated two campaigns. The first is a global campaign on children, HIV/AIDS. The 'Lesson for Life’, a public education and mobilisation initiative involving 2 million children around the world on World AIDS Day, is its first major event. This campaign aims to mobilise the people and the political will to protect the rights and ensure the well-being of children affected by HIV/AIDS. Find out more about the Lesson for Life here.

The second is the 'Building a World Fit for Children' campaign. In this campaign, starting and growing from a number of pilot countries, children, their parents and communities will work together on developing their villages, towns and countries so that they are fit for children. This project will run in parallel to the publication of reports on the progress of the implementation of ‘A World Fit for Children’ published by the GMC on the anniversary of the Special Session each year. Find out more about how to join in here.

5. How does this group within the Global Movement for Children address child rights issues?

This group has the following approaches, which in many ways may also reflect the approaches of much of the rest of the Global Movement:

a) Child Rights-based approach: The group focuses on the realisation of child rights as defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The recognition of this approach implies that there is no compromise possible on child rights and that the group is assertive in their defence.

b) Children's participation: Child participation is at the heart of the activities of the group. The best advocates for children are children themselves. Those who are marginalised, vulnerable or living in poverty are better able to understand how this affects their daily lives, and should be able to fully participate in planning and implementing solutions. Children have an active role in the Movement, mainly at the local and national levels but also at the international level, thus ensuring their involvement in the governance of the Movement as well as in its activities.

c) Gender equity: Girls and boys have the same rights and the group works for the attainment of such principle. This implies an approach that is gender sensitive and that pays particular attention to the rights of the girls. In addition, the group pays special attention to the respect of diversity, pluralism, tolerance and the search for conviviality, in an approach focused at eliminating all forms of discrimination.

d) Multisectoral and holistic approach: These organisations integrate very different constituencies and continues in order to promote a movement aiming to build a far reaching constituency in favour of children. The group seeks to build partnerships with those existing national, regional and international coalitions advocating for children's rights. It has a holistic approach, avoiding adopting partial viewpoints and recognising the indivisibility of children rights.

e) Institutional and long term reform: These organisations collectively pay particular attention to advocacy. In this sense, they focus on lobbying for institutional change to create the conditions for the full implementation of the Convention of the Rights of the Child.

f) Locally rooted, globally relevant: The GMC is a Movement that is participatory in nature and that considers the impact it can have at the local and national levels as the basis for its global relevance. This is why the work of this group of organisations starts at the community level and builds on it to impact globally.

6. Who are the members of the Global Movement for Children, and how can others register and contribute?

The Movement is not a membership organisation. This is because thousands and millions of organisations have been working to build a world fit for children for many years: all of these people are part of the Global Movement for Children already, even if they may not be aware of it. You can however register with the Global Movement as an individual or as an organisation formally on this website by clicking here. By formally registering with the GMC, you will be part of the directory and be kept informed of what others are doing, and how you can help them. You will also be able to let the rest of the GMC know about your activities. You will also be asked to get involved in some of the GMC's international campaigns.

7. Who can use the logo of the Global Movement for Children?

The name and the logo are offered to all who stand for the rights of children, as means of displaying their solidarity and as a banner under which to rally. Anyone and everyone who works for the realisation of child rights as defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child is encouraged to use the name and the logo. You will soon be able to download the logo on this website.

8. What brings together and unites the organisations that comprise the Global Movement for Children? What do the organisations get out of it?

Our shared vision unites us: a world fit for children. Alone, no organisation can realise this vision. Many of the things the Movement is asking the world to do have already been articulated and campaigns are under way to realise them, such as the campaigns on debt relief or education for all. Over the past decade, countless partners have adopted a rights-based approach to their work with children and, together, have achieved significant progress. Examples include the campaign against landmines, the campaign to stop the use of child soldiers and efforts to address child exploitation and other forms of violence against children.

The manifestos for these campaigns have been spelled out. The Movement hopes to increase awareness and provide the catalyst for these manifestos to become a reality. The Movement will help these organisations to work collectively with others to achieve these goals. At the core of the Movement is a vision of the world we want for children, an awareness of the major obstacles that prevent us from achieving that vision and the need for collective action to overcome these obstacles.

9. Can we fundraise through the Global Movement for Children?

The Global Movement for Children is a way to increase the total pool of resources available for children. The Movement is not about fundraising, but if it succeeds in creating greater awareness of children's rights, and greater commitment to meeting those rights, it should create a more favourable environment in which all such organisations may seek and secure support for their work. The coalition of ten organisations working for the Global Movement for Children is not a grant-giving body.

10. How can a private sector company participate in the Movement?

The Global Movement for Children is not a membership organisation but an alliance of protagonists who share a common aim. There is space for all who want to make the world a better place for children. Register as an organisation or individual with the GMC here and let us know what you are doing to make a world fit for children.

11. What role do Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel play in the Movement?

Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel are the patrons of the Movement, the visible spokespeople and its inspirational leaders. As the key players in the Global Movement for Children, Machel and Mandela engage political, civil society, youth, religious and other leaders in the campaign to improve the lives of children throughout the world. Machel and Mandela act as catalysts in moving these leaders from rhetoric to a series of specific commitments, actions and outcomes intended to increase the well-being of children.