Child Rights International Network - CRIN’s Post

It's been 100 years since the birth of the Geneva Declaration of the Rights of the Child, authored by Save the Children International's founder Eglantyne Jebb. This visionary and bold stance has not only enabled the progress of young people everywhere; personally it gave me the language and framework to cultivate my passion and do my part in bettering our world. However, there is still a long way for us to go where children's lives are valued equally, EVERYWHERE. https://lnkd.in/dQatYiy4

⭐ It’s World Children’s Day ⭐ This year is the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - where governments agreed on 54 different rights that every child under 18 years old should have to live a safe, healthy and happy life.   The theme this year is “Prioritising Children Now: Shaping our Future”. How can we actively hear the voices of children to shape our future?

It's World Children's Day! UNICEF’s global day of action is for children, by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Child rights are human rights. They are non-negotiable and universal. But in too many places today, children’s rights are being misunderstood, disregarded or even denied and attacked. To learn more, visit https://ow.ly/nT7E50UbqbA

🌍 In response to the UN Independent Expert on international solidarity’s report on civil society organizations engaging in international solidarity, IFEX’s submission highlighted the challenges faced by activists due to rising authoritarianism and repressive actions, underscoring the critical role of civil society in advocating for human rights accountability. Drawing on IFEX members' experiences, the submission reveals how repressive legislation and barriers to participation in high-level spaces at the UN have targeted and obstructed the work of civil society organizations (CSOs). IFEX’s networked approach, combining collaborative advocacy, operational support, access to resources, and other expressions of solidarity, strengthens the capacity of organisations to effectively counter authoritarian regimes and defend civic space. Check out our submission here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gXHU3TNf

Your Rights, Your Power: Understanding South Africa’s Fundamental Rights The Bill of Rights, safeguarding 27 fundamental rights of every South African. These rights are essential to our democracy and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Knowing your rights empowers you to stand up for justice and equality. Let’s all take the time to understand and protect these rights, ensuring a fair and free society for everyone. Learn more about Bill of Rights bit.ly/47YqZ6G

🌍 Today, on March 24th, we come together to observe the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. This significant day holds profound meaning, paying tribute to the memory of Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero, a courageous advocate for human rights who tragically lost his life in the pursuit of justice. Monsignor Romero's unwavering commitment to defending the rights of the vulnerable in El Salvador serves as a beacon of inspiration for us all. He fearlessly spoke out against injustice, shedding light on the grave human rights violations occurring within his country, even in the face of immense personal risk (murdered on 24 March 1980). The right to the truth is fundamental, particularly in the aftermath of gross violations of human rights. It serves as a cornerstone of accountability and reconciliation, empowering victims and their families to seek closure, healing, and justice. Through truth-seeking processes, we honor the dignity of victims and affirm our collective commitment to upholding human rights principles. On this day, let us reflect on the importance of truth, justice, and accountability in building a more equitable and compassionate world. Let us remember the countless individuals who have sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of truth and justice, and let us recommit ourselves to the ongoing fight for human rights for all. As we commemorate this International Day, let us stand together in solidarity with victims of human rights violations worldwide, amplifying their voices and advocating for meaningful change. Together, we can strive towards a future where truth, dignity, and justice prevail for all. #HumanRights #RightToTruth #DignityOfVictims #Justice #RememberingRomero #StandForTruth #FightForJustice #GlobalAwareness #HumanRightsDay #Advocacy United Nations

Since we awoke to the horror of October 7th, every day has felt like part of a never-ending nightmare. This past year, we’ve learned that there’s no limit to how many times a heart can break. We’ve learned that no matter how bad things are, they can always get worse. When it's hard to process the unfathomable horrors we have witnessed, and when we have difficulty finding the words to express how we feel, we turn to our community. We have compiled a collection of eulogies and speeches given by movement members, local and international activists, and allies since October 7th, 2023. We hope that these powerful words will provide a guiding light for you as we navigate through a particularly heavy few days, and that they remind you of the power that lies within community and solidarity, and the importance of this struggle for freedom, safety and equality for all. To download the full PDF booklet: omdi.me/oneyear

Excerpts from Sally Abed’s speech in a peace, ceasefire and hostage deal rally. December 16, 2023 | Haifa I thought a lot about what I wanted to say to hundreds of people here in Haifa, my home. I decided with a lot of fear and hesitation, to ask for acceptance. I feel that our society, Palestinian society, is not accepted enough these days. This is also the reason I wore my keffiyeh today, as a gesture to our people in Gaza. I don’t want to talk about numbers and statistics. I refuse for our deaths to be an issue of debate. You’re asking how many Palestinians are dying? Too many. I am here to say let’s stop the killing. Let’s cease the fire. Now. I don’t want to speak only about women and children. I want to talk about the Palestinian men. In many ways, I feel that we are ignoring Palestinian men to justify our humanity. So that the world will take more pity on us. But you know what? My grandfathers were Palestinian men who lived under military rule. Forty minutes away from here. In the Western Galilee. As Palestinian citizens of Israel, we know what military rule is. My father is also a Palestinian man, and I am a Palestinian woman, and my children will be Palestinian, and so will the children of the Palestinian families here in Haifa. And I refuse to let our humanity be a topic for debate. That’s it. Ceasefire now. I also refuse to give up on the society I am part of. I refuse to give up on Israeli society, a society that at this moment doesn’t really accept my pain. But, and because of this, I am here today, to demand acceptance. Acceptance from a society that doesn’t quite recognize that we are part of the Palestinian people and that we are deeply feeling the pain of our people in Gaza. A society that wants and expects us to share the pain of its suffering, but tells us it must be conditional. I refuse to give up on our society because I believe that the majority of people who live here sanctify life. We deserve life. We deserve a future. We deserve a society of prosperity, solidarity and beauty. A society that truly loves, a society that is unified, a society that stands together. We deserve security. Our society, and the hostages in Gaza, deserve a leadership that sanctifies life instead of death. When I say that I refuse to give up on my society, this is what I mean. I don’t see us as two opposing sides, but as two nations on the same side, two nations that share a homeland. And we all deserve a life of freedom, equality, and independence..... Sally Abed is an elected city council representative of Haifa and a national leader at Standing Together. #UK #UnitedKingdom Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party House of Commons The Labour Party 10 Downing Street Keir Starmer 🕊️

Excerpts from Alon-Lee Green’s speech in a peace, ceasefire and hostage deal rally. December 16, 2023 | Haifa ....A reality of never-ending wars, hatred, and destruction. A reality that is based on what Netanyahu already told us in 2015. That “to win is to live by the sword.” This is the reality that they want. The reality of never-ending war. And so, we are here to talk about the day after. About the vision that we have for the day after. And we want “the day after” NOW. Our vision for this “day after” is a vision of Israeli-Palestinian peace. A vision that realizes that living on this land in peace and security is only possible with IsraeliPalestinian peace. A vision in which we understand that many children who grow up here don’t know a reality other than Netanyahu, occupation, and control over another nation. When we [Israelis] were children, we were promised that “when you grow up, you won’t need to go to the army.” In our version of the day after, this promise will be realized. Israeli children will grow up and won’t need to go to the army, and won’t need to have control over another nation. And they will know that this “day after” is worth fighting for. Not a day after where we occupy Gaza. A day after in which we live together in peace and security. For that to happen, every person that lives in this land must live with equality, independence, and freedom. Alon-Lee Green is the National co-Director and a founding member of Standing Together. #UK #UnitedKingdom Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party House of Commons The Labour Party 10 Downing Street Keir Starmer 🕊️

Excerpts from Zahra Sakkejha’s speech at Standing Together’s webinar. April 21, 2024 | Los Angeles Like many Palestinians in the diaspora, I carry the weight of my people’s tragedy with me everywhere I go. Throughout my life, I’ve watched… you know, very feeling helpless from afar watching war after war, injustice after injustice, and seeing the living conditions and safety for Palestinians has not improved, the occupation continues. You know, it’s just, it doesn’t seem any better than we were hoping twenty years ago, and I visited family many times in Palestine; I’ve experienced first hand the inhumanity of checkpoints. Every time I visit and fly into Ben Gurion Airport, I am interrogated for hours, despite my Canadian passport, Canadian birthplace and squeaky clean record. Just because I’m Palestinian. The Palestinian desire for freedom and justice lives within me; this is my background, this is my story, this is who I am. But I have to say that after October 7th, I personally struggled to reconcile the idealism of the Palestinian cause with the tangible atrocities that showed blatant disregard for human life. And what resonated with me was that it is the same disregard that has been dehumanizing Palestinians for decades. And I kept thinking how are we ever going to break out of this cycle of violent revenge? And it really plagued me for a long time. And since then, before then really, I’ve always thought about what my privilege means as a Palestinian living in the diaspora. I acknowledge that where I live in Los Angeles and I grew up in Canada. I am safe. I am equal under the law. I have freedom of movement, freedom of speech. And I just kept wondering - what if I used my privilege to build mutual interest with the Jews and Israelis that are in my city instead of furthering the divide? What kind of future could we build that would be different from the kind of present that we’re seeing today? The question, and how I chose to respond to it, was life-changing. Meeting like-minded Palestinians and Jews in person, organizing together, and choosing to turn tragedy and pain into action - together. We’re all come from different backgrounds, but we’re all driven by the same thing. We’re not just asking for something better. We are working hard to build something better. For all of us. Zahra Sakkejha is a Palestinian-Canadian living in Los Angeles, a leader in Friends of Standing Together LA, and a board member of Tomorrow's Women" #UK #UnitedKingdom Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party House of Commons The Labour Party 10 Downing Street Keir Starmer 🕊️