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A girl sits in a classroom in Afghanistan.

No matter where they live, every child has the right to grow up in a peaceful world on a safe and livable planet. Children must be listened to and included in all decisions that affect them. On this World Children’s Day (20 November), we’re making space for children and young people to raise their voices on issues that are important to them. By prioritizing children's rights and participation, we can help to build a brighter future for everyone. ! Explore what’s happening on World Children’s Day.

A young girl sitting with a group of people at a refugee camp in Cox's Bazar.

The sexual abuse and exploitation of children is a violation of human rights and a major public health issue with far-reaching implications for global well-being and development. The first World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence  (18 November) aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse, promote support for survivors, and emphasize the need to prevent and eradicate such exploitation while holding perpetrators accountable. On this day, let’s unite to end stigma against victims, protect their rights, and ensure their access to justice and remedies.

meets every two years to determine the policies and main lines of the work of the Organization. This year’s will focus on the commons - the cultural and natural resources shared by all members of society – and how they should be thought of and protected in the context of the major disruptions the world is currently experiencing. An inaugural lecture and a high-level session on partnerships will address climate disruption and digital transformation in a way that benefits people and the planet.

When conflict or war makes the headlines, children look to their parents for a sense of safety and security.  offers  on how to provide them with support and comfort.

In every part of the world, poor mental health causes suffering for children and young people. It is a top cause of death, disease and disability, especially for older adolescents. To achieve positive mental health, is calling for investment and action to support and protect all children and young people, and a focus on ending neglect, abuse and childhood traumas. Under the campaign, the UN agency is asking for support for families through programs that promote positive parenting and ensure that all children and adolescents learn and interact in safe and secure environments with supportive relationships and access to mental health services.

WHO asserts that must be protected from deadly second-hand smoke and toxic e-cigarette emissions as well as ads promoting these products.

Children’s rights under the apply to environmental protection, and confirms that children have a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. More than 16,000 children in 121 countries took part in the   which emphasizes the urgent need to address the adverse effects of environmental degradation, with a special focus on climate change, on the enjoyment of children’s rights, and clarifies the obligations of States to address environmental harm and climate change. Children are at the forefront of a wave of ground-breaking litigation around the world that has the potential not only to ensure greater accountability on the part of governments and business, but also to trigger fundamental shifts in approach.

The was by the side of the children of seasonal agricultural families all summer to ensure that they could go to school instead of the fields. With the organized educational activities, sightseeing, sports, music, and skill-building workshops, the children had a very productive summer.

Children in 48 out of 49 African countries assessed are categorized as at high or extremely high risk of the impacts of , says a report, "". Yet, only 2.4% of global climate funding targets children. Children living in the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, Somalia and Guinea-Bissau are the most at risk.

UNICEF and are working together on an increasing number of projects that demonstrate how communities across Africa can become more resilient as they adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. UNEP, UNICEF and are working together with young people, governments, employers' and workers' organizations, and the private sector to design and implement the .

Four Afghan girls studying in a classroom.

Education is a fundamental human right. For children and youth caught up in emergency situations and armed conflict, education provides not only continuity of learning, but also a sense of normalcy and the key to a different future. On the International Day to Protect Education from Attacks we must remember that assaults against schools can have serious, long-term physical and psychological repercussions for students and teachers. Governments should ensure that places of education remain safe havens for children and education personnel.

Teachers, schools, families, communities, policy-makers and young people all have essential roles to play in preventing and responding to school-related, gender-based violence (SRGBV), affirms . In this video, SRGBV prevention advocates from Asia-Pacific and beyond, share their diverse yet complementary perspectives on why efforts to #EndSRGBV and ensure that all education settings are #SafeToLearn require that all actors work together.

The pandemic deepened pre-existing gender inequalities, but Gloria is advocating for girls continued education through UNESCO’s  campaign.  

presents 14-year-old Djeneba's poem which reveals a vivid picture of a young boy struggling to survive because of conflict in Burkina Faso

Compared to adults, infants and children are uniquely affected by heat stress, leaving them more vulnerable to its short- and long-term effects. Pregnant women and fetuses are also vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat. .

A new global report on technology in education highlights the lack of appropriate governance and regulation. Countries are urged to set their own terms for the way technology is designed and used in education so that it never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction, and supports the shared objective of quality education for all. The report calls to put the learner front and centre while making sure that the focus is on learning outcomes, not on the technology itself. The global launch of the new  takes place on 26-27 July in hybrid format.