DELIVERING ON COMMITMENTS Plan International UN Office in Geneva Annual Activity Report 2014-2015
Advocacy from the Ground Up GLOBALLY About Plan International
Our Advocacy
and largest child rights and development organisations
as an authoritative global voice to influence those with
Founded in 1937, Plan International is one of the oldest
We use our experience on the ground and our position
in the world. Plan International’s vision is of a world in
power or responsibility, in order to promote the rights of
which all children realise their full potential in societies that
children. At the international level, Plan International has
respect the rights and dignity of all people. To achieve
two offices representing the organisation at the United
this, we not only enable children and their communities
Nations Headquarters in Geneva and New York. Addi-
to have the support and services they need through our
tionally, Plan International has two regional liaison offices
51 country offices, but we also carry out advocacy
working with the European Union and the African Union.
work at all levels to change laws, policies, and practice, as well as to empower children to realise their rights.
FINLAND
NORWAY UNITED KINGDOM
CANADA
IRELAND
SWEDEN
DENMARK
NETHERLANDS BELGIUM GERMANY FRANCE SWITZERLAND
SPAIN
UNITED STATES
ITALY
EGYPT
HAITI GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MALI
HONDURAS
NIGER
SENEGAL BURKINA FASO GUINEA-BISSAU BENIN GUINEA NIGERIA GHANA SIERRA LEONE LIBERIA TOGO CAMEROON
NICARAGUA
COLOMBIA
SUDAN
SOUTH SUDAN
UGANDA
ECUADOR
ETHIOPIA
KENYA
RWANDA TANZANIA PERU
IES COUNLTAR N DOES
21
WHERE P
FUNDRAISING
BRAZIL MALAWI ZAMBIA
BOLIVIA
PARAGUAY
4 OFFICES ADVOCACY
TIONAL AT INTERNNAAL LEVEL IO AND REG 2
PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
MOZAMBIQUE
ZIMBABWE
IN GENEVA Shaping the Discussion in Geneva
The mission of Plan International UN Office in Geneva is to improve the situation of children through strategic
Influencing policy and practice
Plan International UN Office in Geneva actively advo-
cates for child rights to be included in key processes and
advocacy activities by influencing the discussion on issues
debates taking place in Geneva, including the Human
The Office also acts as a human rights expertise hub for
Child (CRC) and the Committee on the Elimination of
relevant to children and their rights at the UN in Geneva. Plan International’s policy and strategy, and supports
the organisation’s teams and offices in their engagement with the UN.
Rights Council, the Committee on the Rights of the Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Country-based advocacy
Plan International uses the tools of the international
human rights system to ensure that every country pro-
motes, respects and fulfils the rights of all children, and
to hold Governments accountable to their commitments. The UN Office in Geneva supports Plan International's
offices around the world to engage with UN processes that review the human rights situation in their country.
These include the monitoring and reporting processes
for the CRC and the CEDAW, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Human Rights Council.
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
CHINA PAKISTAN
NE AL NEPAL BANGLADESH INDIA
MYANMAR
LAOS
HONG KONG
V VIETNAM CAMBODIA
S NTRWIE CORU KS E PLAN OR
1 5 UNITIES WITH COMM
PHILIPPINES PP P NE ES E S SRI LANKA KA
THAILAND HA D
WHE
INDONESIA
81
TIMOR-LESTE R TE
MILLIOEN N
CHILDR PLAN REACHED BY
ES PROGRAMM
AUSTRALIA
PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
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A girl smiles as she attends a Plan-sponsored elementary school in Indonesia
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PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
From the UN Office Representative Dear Friends, Today we stand at an important crossroads for children’s rights. In November 2014, we commemorated
the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). And in September 2015, the governments of the world will decide on the new sustainable development agenda for the next 15 years.
With the adoption of the CRC and its optional protocols,
the world made important commitments to children. Now it is time to truly deliver on those commitments. We
must make a statement that in 15 years, not only will the world be a better place for children than it is today, but that no child will be left behind.
We need to scale up and redouble our efforts. Let us also work together with children and young people, listening to what they have to say and taking their voices to make sure that the rights of every girl and boy exist not just on paper, but that they are a reality.
Anne-Sophie Lois UN Representative and Head of Office Plan International UN Office in Geneva
“Throughout every stage of the 25-year history of the Convention on the Rights of the Child – from its drafting to its adoption, from its implementation on the ground to its monitoring, collaboration with actors like Plan International has been instrumental. By working together we can ensure that the rights of every child is realised.” Jorge Cardona, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
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25 YEARS LATER On 20 November 1989, the Convention on the Rights
of the Child (CRC) was adopted. It was and remains an important and innovative piece of international law. For the first time, the world came together to acknowledge
that children are rights holders and that the best inter-
ests of the child should be the primary consideration. Today, the CRC is the most widely-ratified human rights treaty with 195 States parties, but gaps in implemen-
tation remain. The original vision of the Convention can only be achieved when those most vulnerable children can claim the entirety of their rights.
“Young people who are given the possibility to speak up and whose opinions are appreciated, are motivated to push changes forward and contribute to a peaceful and progressive society, and ultimately to a prosperous future. As we are the adults of tomorrow, every decision made today will have an impact on our lives. So considering our opinions in decision-making is essential, because it is our future!” Team CRVS, young people advocating with Plan International on birth registration
Children playing in tent camp in Nepal
Some key achievements
Some things still to be done
• Three optional protocols have been adopted that expand the protection provided to children by the CRC.
• 47% of those living on less than US$1.25 a day are aged 18 or under 1
• The number of children out of school has been reduced by half 1 • An adolescent girl today is about a third less likely to undergo FGM than 30 years ago 3
• Almost 58 million children of primary school age, or 9% of children in that age group, remain out of school 1 • 35% of the world’s children remain unregistered 1 • More than 700 million women alive today were married before age 18 2
making their voices heard “For too long, children have been silenced, their voices ignored or at best, put to the side. Ensuring that all
children are able to claim their rights requires us to listen to them. Are we prepared to listen and take into account what they have to say?” – Anne-Sophie Lois
Listening to children is one of the most important elements
to make sure that all those things left to be done are
done. This was one of Plan International’s key messages at a high-level event we co-organised to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Convention.
Young girl from Plan programme in Mali speaks out against female genital mutilation (FGM)
The CRC was revolutionary because it went beyond seeing children as passive recipients who needed to be provided for and protected from harm. It acknowledged that children can actively and meaningfully
contribute to society. Plan International believes that every child and young person, no matter their age, has something to say about the
issues that affect them. We must not only listen to them, but take into account their perspectives. The participation of children and young
people is a key priority for Plan International, and we try to bring this aspect into as much of our advocacy work as possible.
UNICEF. "25 Years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Is the world a better place for children?" 2014. UNICEF. "Ending Child Marriage: Progress and prospects." 2014. 3 UNICEF. "Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: What might the future hold?" 2014. 1 2
PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
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YEAR AT A GLANCE
Budgeting for Children
Made joint submission to influence content of UN report Influenced policy development on involving children in budgeting
Access to Justice
CRC@25 Co-organised high-level event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
2014
Conducted regional advocacy training for Eastern and Southern Africa
Shared expertise during roundtable at conference on the CRC
Launched report on birth registration at a side event on civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) as a human rights imperative
Produced short film on birth registration in emergency situations
Civil Registration & Vital Statistics
Influenced recommendations made to the Government of Sweden during Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
Country-based Advocacy
Our Office in Numbers 16 oral and written statements delivered to the Human Rights Council and its members
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PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
6 events organised or co-organised at UN fora
2 publications and 5 submissions to inform UN reports
This timeline is a selection of some of the main activities done by Plan International UN Office in Geneva from July 2014 - June 2015. Find out more at: http://plan-international.org/where-we-work/ geneva
Child Marriage and FGM
Influenced Human Rights Council resolution
Influenced Human Rights Council resolution on child, early and forced marriage
Provided expert input to UN report on female genital mutilation (FGM)
2015
Shared expertise on children's participation in budgeting and governance on high-level panel at the Human Rights Council
Presented report and film based on consultations conducted with over 2,000 children before the Human Rights Council
Influenced policy development on adolescents at the United Nations
adolescents
Shared expertise on combatting discrimination against girls in education as expert speaker on high-level CEDAW panel Place civil registration and vital statistics on the agenda of the Human Rights Council for the first time
Shared expert knowledge from the ground on girls' education in emergencies as only NGO speaker on high-level panel at the Human Rights Council
Education for Girls
Scan to read Plan International's report on birth registration
Plan International as an expert speaker in 6 high-level panel discussions, expert meetings and conferences
3 videos produced to spread awareness on key issues
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HIGHLIGHTS
Did You Know? Article 4 of the CRC says that States Parties are required to support the realisation of children’s rights not only in their own countries, but also in their international cooperation.
Girl from the Philippines shares what she needs after Typhoon Haiyan
Budgeting for children’s rights The issue: Nearly all governments in the world are parties to the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This important treaty outlines a number of rights to which children are entitled,
and States have a responsibility to make those rights a reality. Children must be a priority for governments not just in word, but
also in deed, and this means intentionally dedicating resources to promote children’s rights.
Advocacy: Budgeting for children’s rights was a key issue of discussion at the Human Rights Council this year, and Plan Interna-
tional has been and continues to be actively involved in influencing
the process. Our advocacy focused on ensuring that children can participate in budgeting processes. Children know the issues that affect them, and can propose new and creative ways to address
them, if only we make space for them to meaningfully participate.
Development aid for child rights The issue: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child requires States who have ratified it not only to imple-
ment the rights of children in their own territories, but also in their development aid. Although many countries invest a lot of money each year to support developing countries, few of them systematically and explicitly
prioritise children’s rights in their overseas development assistance (ODA).
Advocacy: Plan International offices in Geneva and
Sweden conducted advocacy during the Universal Periodic Review of the Government of Sweden. During this ground breaking advocacy, Plan successfully lobbied
States to make the first ever recommendation to Sweden on making child rights an express priority in its development cooperation.
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PLAN INTERNATIONAL UN OFFICE IN GENEVA ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT 2014-2015
Anne-Sophie Lois discusses with Jorge Cardona, Member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and Flavia Pansieri, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, at an event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Scan to watch Plan International's video on budgeting for children's rights
Boys in Peru display their identity cards
Equal opportunities for girls The issue: 1 in 5 girls around the world is denied an
education by the daily realities of poverty, violence and discrimination. Every day, girls are taken out of school, married far too young, and subjected to violence in
school. And this, right at a time when education has
the power to transform their lives and the world around them. Making it through both primary and secondary
education is critical to girls being able to help break the cycle of poverty. Advocacy: As part of Plan’s Because I am A Girl
Campaign, Plan International UN Geneva is working to marriage are top human rights priorities at the UN.
Making every person count
er substantive resolution of the Human Rights Council
of 5 have not been registered. Birth registration is a
ensure that the issues of education for girls and child This past year, Plan International influenced the first-ev-
The issue: Globally, 230 million children under the age
on child marriage, as well as spoke as the only NGO on
fundamental right of all children, but improvements
a high-level panel on girls’ education, emphasizing the
importance of girls having access to a safe and quality education.
in birth registration are rarely possible unless the entire civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system is
improved. Such registration provides individuals with the documentation often needed to have recognition of their legal identity, improving their access to essential services, such as healthcare, education and social welfare. Advocacy: Plan International successfully put civil
registration and vital statistics (CRVS) on the agenda of
the Human Rights Council, by influencing its most recent resolution on birth registration, adopted in March 2015. This is the first time governments at the Human Rights
Council have recognized the importance of integrating efforts towards universal birth registration within a comprehensive CRVS system, and Governments are
beginning to view CRVS as a key human rights concern.
Girls learning at Plan-supported Community Development Association in Egypt
“Ending child marriage is not negotiable. Through collaborations, like those between Plan International and YWCA, that advance the empowerment, leadership and rights of women and girls around the world, we can make a greater impact. Together, we can advocate and promote the equality of girls in defining a future without child marriage, while supporting married girls.” Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, General Secretary of the World YWCA
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Plan International United Nations Office in Geneva 1 Rue de Varembé, 5th floor – 1202 Geneva – Switzerland Tel: +41 (0) 22 749 15 20 Email: UNOfficeGeneva@plan-international.org Follow @PlanUNGeneva on Twitter Visit our website www.plan-international.org/geneva Published in 2015. Text and photos © Plan and © OHCHR Photo credit: p.1, Plan International/Nyani Quarmyne; p.4, Plan International/Niels Busch; p.6, Plan International / Peter Bregg; p.7, Plan International/Seydou Dolo; p.10, Plan International/Pieter ten Hoopen and OHCHR/ Danielle Kirby Plan International does not take responsibility for the content of external websites
This report details some of the activities undertaken by the Plan International United Nations Office in Geneva between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015. Plan International United Nations Office in Geneva is a Branch Office of Plan International, Inc.and is registered in Switzerland under the name Plan International Inc. Warwick, Geneva branch. Plan International, Inc. has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)