Commemorating UN Days Dedicated to Children's Well-being

From its very beginning, the United Nations has designated UN World Days to shed light on and mark particular events and topics, raising awareness and inviting action. In November there are two UN World Days specifically focusing on children: 

World Children’s Day – celebrated on November 20th – was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day. Among other milestones it marks the anniversary of the date when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child as well as the date when the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified Human Rights Document in UN history, came into force.

The theme for World Children’s Day 2023 is “Every child, everywhere, has a right to live in a peaceful world. Children have a right to a safe and livable planet. Children must be listened to and included in all decisions that affect them.”

World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence – celebrated on November 18 - was approved by the UN General Assembly in 2022.  Marking this special day aims to bring global visibility to a widespread problem – according to the World Health Organization millions of children experience sexual violence each year. “Tragically, children experience many forms of violence, exploitation, and abuse. It happens in every country, and in the places where children should be most protected – their homes, schools and online,” said Cornelius Williams, former Director of Child Protection at UNICEF.

This World Day invites us to promote the right for every child to grow up free from all forms of sexual abuse and violence, including trafficking both off-line and on-line, and to support survivors of this horrific childhood trauma.  

At PACT, this includes outreach to schools, parents, and caregivers, as well as to children themselves, with relevant education and safety tips. We also partner with the hospitality sector, providing guidelines and training to industry professionals so they can recognize signs of trafficking. Our work with legislators to advocate for strong policies and laws to prevent children from exploitation, and to support survivors in their journey to healing has already resulted in meaningful changes.

We will continue to work together for a world where no child is bought, sold, or used for sex.