IN FOCUS FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS

People often think you need special qualifications to defend and promote children's rights, but it's something we can all do through our everyday actions! Regardless of whether a person is in contact with children at work, at home or during their free time, each of us has the power to give children the chance to live, grow and develop in the best possible conditions.

This is the key idea behind a special public awareness campaign entitled "Children's Rights: Everyone has a role to play," which the IBCR launched this year and plans on running for several more. The campaign includes a pamphlet, physical exhibit, virtual exhibit, special events, videos, advertisements and other media. Addressing Canadians of all ages, it encourages a collective movement to support children's rights and generate meaningful and lasting change.

The campaign suggests 11 actions that require varying skill levels and time commitments:

1. Learn about the topic to gain a better understanding of the issues.

2. Be active on social media by reacting to posts and sharing content to build awareness and mobilise others.

3. Create topical content such as blog posts, articles and podcasts with the aim of informing and engaging a wider audience.

4. Hold or participate in engagement or outreach activities such as conferences, meetings, forums, workshops and round-table discussions in order to draw attention to child rights issues.

5. Organise or participate in online or in-person fundraising events such as charity drives, charity dinners, food and beverage sales, auctions and social media campaigns to mobilise your network and support organisations that support the cause.

6. Support community organisations or agencies working in the field of children's rights by making one-time or regular financial contributions or donations in kind, skills or services.

7. Engage in advocacy and make decision makers (politicians, business leaders, etc.) aware of current challenges affecting children's rights and possible solutions.

Advocacy [noun]: the act or process of supporting a cause or proposal. Advocacy can take many forms, including petitions, demonstrations, conversations and letters, and be collective or individual.

8. Change your practices by being attentive to the rights of the children in your surroundings, questioning whether they should have input in the decisions that concern them, and becoming aware of the stereotypes that could negatively impact their development.

9. Volunteer to support community organisations or agencies in their activities throughout the year.

10. Engage in internal volunteering, through a process also known as volunteer cooperation, and join Canadians of all ages and backgrounds in another country for a few weeks or several months to support local organisations and the communities they serve.

Additional information about PRIDE, the IBCR's international volunteering programme, is available on page 52.

11. Study or work in a field related to children's rights and dedicate your life's work to this important cause. Students and professionals have the power to make a difference and ensure that each child has the chance to grow up and thrive in a supportive environment.

Each of these proposed actions can be adapted to children, taking into account their ages and life circumstances. The campaign was designed to engage adults and children alike, using appropriate language, in order to gain broad support for children's rights and to emphasise the importance of giving children the opportunity to participate in the promotion of their own rights.

The campaign is available on the IBCR website: www.ibcr.org/en/international-volunteering/childrens-rights-take-action-today/ Campaign carried out

Some of the posters from the exhibition "For Children's rights: Everyone has a role to play"