Getting to Know International Organizations: Part 1


KidsRights
www.kidsrights.org

            The KidsRights organization was founded in 2003, by Marc Dullaert with the belief that “Children are changemakers and able to move the world.” (KidsRights, 2018).  The organization works with local partners to address issues and trends effecting children in poverty. They work on projects that vary in theme, such as violence against children, child participation in advocation for rights, access to high-quality education, supporting street children, addressing child labor internationally, and making a difference for children impacted by HIV/AIDS.  KidsRights has a mission to ensure that children are being heard. They want to work with children to bring a global awareness to children standing up for change and their rights.  The organization provides insight with research that is conducted to positively impact children’s outcomes worldwide. 

            The KidsRights organization begun to recognize children’s efforts in advocating for children’s rights globally in 2005, by awarding a child annually with the International Children’s Peace Prize.  The award is given to a courageous child that has demonstrated exemplary efforts to bring a voice to the children around the world and the issue of children’s rights.  The winner of the International Children's Peace Prize is committed to a specific area of interest in child rights. KidsRights conducts research on these areas of interest to support their mission in making a difference in children’s lives and in the life of the award recipient. The research data is published in an annual KidsRights Report and KidsRights Index data tool, which is available on their website. 

The KidsRights Index “is the first and only annual ranking that measures how children's rights are respected worldwide and to what extent countries are working towards improving the rights of children.” (KidsRights, 2018).  The Index tool assigns a score rating the level of rights a country provides children.  The final score reflects the countries that are in-compliant with international agreements on children’s rights.  The KidsRights Index brings an awareness to governments, organizations, and children to give a voice to the most vulnerable groups of children (refugee children, migrant children, disabled children, street children, and indigenous children).  The organization is working to make children’s voices heard and aid children in acting themselves to implement change.

Through my exploration of the KidsRights organization and website, I became much more aware of the issue of children’s rights from a global viewpoint.  Empowering children to participate in making a change for their peers and the next generation is inspirational and necessary.  Many believe that children are not a valid voice of reason, but I believe that they are the most important voice.  Children are not being respected and cared for in areas all around the world.  Internationally, children’s rights are not united in expectations or delivery of services.  KidsRights brings an insight to this issue in the early childhood field that it is necessary to understand that this is a universal problem that must be supported and solved.


“KidsRights gives a voice to the voiceless” -Desmond Tutu, Patron of KidsRights


"The future is unknown, so I'm focusing on what I can do now."-Mohamad Al Jounde , 2017 Recipient of the International Children's Peace Prize

To hear Mohamad Al Jounde's story, click the link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIYa3LQEKYk#action=share




KidsRights. (n.d.). (2018). Retrieved from https://kidsrights.org/




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