Child rights

The way we conduct business anywhere in the world impacts children. Workplace conditions, terms of labour and employment – even pricing and policies that limit the ability of parents to provide for their families: Each of these business decisions has consequences for children's well-being. In some cases, practices that do not violate adults’…, Key facts, Over 1 billion children are touched by global business supply chains directly or indirectly, through their impact on families. Around 160 million children were subjected to child labour in 2020, with millions more at risk since the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 800 million mothers worldwide are not adequately protected with leave and cash benefits in…, Topics in child rights and business, Child playing Finance and investing, Investors need to be cautious of making investments in companies with business practices that may cause harm to children. UNICEF works with partners to develop practical guidance and tools for investors to assess a business’s performance based on how their practices support children’s rights. >>Read: Investor Guidance on Integrating Children…, Young child holding mobile phone Child rights in a digital world, An estimated one in three internet users globally is a child. Wider access to digital technologies poses significant risks to children, both offline and online. UNICEF collaborates with governments and technology companies – from online gaming to mobile operators – to keep children safe online. We focus on ending online child sexual exploitation…, Mothers, breastfeeding Supply chains and the workplace, Supply chains and the workplace can impact children in a number of ways. Related rights issues include poor living conditions, environmental pollution and hazards, and insufficient services and care for maternal health.  UNICEF promotes family-friendly policies that can offer parents and caregivers the time, resources and services they need to…, A child holding a slate in school State action on child rights, Although businesses are responsible for the impact of their activities on children's rights, the ultimate accountability lies with authorities at national and global levels. Governments have specific obligations to realize children’s rights when it comes to regulating business operations. >>Read: Children's Rights in National Action Plans on…, What we do, In 2012, UNICEF launched Children's Rights and Business Principles alongside Save the Children and the UN Global Compact. These principles look at the impact businesses have on children and ways to address them. UNICEF has engaged businesses in over 70 countries, collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including industry associations,…, Publications and resources

Children have always been the first victims of war. Worldwide, armed conflict and other violence have upended the lives of hundreds of millions of children, leaving them displaced, undernourished, out of school and at severe risk of exploitation and abuse. Nearly 1 in 5 children today live in settings affected by armed conflict and war. A surge in…, Voices for peace, UNICEF UNICEF, UNICEF’s response, UNICEF is on the ground and at the policy table in places affected by conflict and fragility. We protect the rights of children and young people by supporting countries to build more resilient, inclusive, and peaceful societies. Our peacebuilding approach puts children at the centre, strengthening social cohesion within communities, building…, Peacebuilding in action, Resources, UNICEF Conflict Sensitivity & Peacebuilding Programming Guide UNICEF Guide to Conflict Analysis UNICEF Programme Framework for Fragile Contexts UNICEF and Sustaining Peace: Strengthening the Socio-Economic Foundations of Peace through Education, Young People’s Engagement and WASH UNICEF Local Governance & Peacebuilding Case Studies UNICEF…

Across the world, millions of children interact with justice systems every year. They could be victims or witnesses to a crime. They could be alleged, accused or recognized as having broken the law. They could be in need of care or safety, or seeking to protect their rights. But justice systems do not always fulfil the promise of fairness. Some…, Children in contact with the law, In September 2019, at a rehabilitation centre in Ruyigi, Burundi, boys who have come into conflict with the law learn sewing skills as part of a vocational training programme. In September 2019, at a rehabilitation centre in Ruyigi, Burundi, boys who have come into contact with the law learn sewing skills as part of a vocational training programme…, Child survivors, victims and witnesses of crimes, An 18-year-old survivor of rape sits shadowed in a child-friendly court in Ethiopia, 2017. An 18-year-old survivor of rape seeks justice in a child-friendly court in Ethiopia, where the perpetrator was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2016. For children who have endured violence, exploitation or abuse, the trauma may not subside when they reach…, UNICEF’s response, A 17-year-old girl studies at her desk, at home in Brazil in 2016. In 2016, Marcelino Winny Moreira, 17, prepares for the national college entrance exam at home in Brazil after participating in a UNICEF-supported girl’s empowerment programme. “I want to study law because I see so much injustice happening here in my country…I want to defend…, More from UNICEF, Resources, UNICEF Humanitarian Practice: COVID-19 Technical Guidance Guidance Note of the Secretary-General: UN Approach to Justice for Children Informal Justice Systems: Charting a Course for Human Rights–Based Engagement United Nations Guidelines on Justice in Matters Involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime: Online Training Tool Reimagine Justice…