Advocacy and campaigns

These are the key joint advocacy efforts and campaigns implemented by TDHIF in 2023:

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – General Comment No. 26

TDHIF played a pivotal role in the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – General Comment No. 26 (GC26), emphasising children’s right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, by facilitating children’s participation and creating a child-friendly version of the comment for accessibility. Over 16,000 children from 121 countries were invited to contribute to its development, through an 18-month global consultation process co-created with 12 child advisors and experts.

Child Rights in the Global Compacts for Migration and on Refugees

In 2023, the TDHIF as co-chair of the Initiative for Child Rights in the Global Compacts for Migration and on Refugees, supported its implementation, helping to secure pledges for child rights and enabling meaningful child participation at the Global Refugee Forum (GRF).

The Initiative consulted with children in several countries and presented the children’s manifesto at the Global Refugee Forum. The Initiative-led multi-stakeholder child rights pledge gained traction from over 100 stakeholders, including several member states.

Child Safety Online

As part of the Child Safety On! coalition, TDHIF launched the “Every Second Counts” campaign on

International Children’s Day and the United Nations Global Day of Parents.

This campaign brought together survivors, guardians and supporters who called on European citizens and governments to support the EU proposed regulation on child sexual abuse online.

The “Darkness Follows” campaign, which included an online petition, and the “Cleaning the Internet” march to the European Parliament, called on policy makers to ‘clean up the internet’ from sexual predators and protect children online.

TDHIF also joined the European Cooperation for Science and Technology network’s “Boosting Societal Adaptation and Mental Health in a Rapidly Digitalizing Post-Pandemic Europe” research programme, focusing on preventing and reducing the harmful risks of digitalisation on children’s mental health.

TDHIF influenced global digital policies by contributing to the UN Global Digital Compact and advocating for child safety in the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.

Children and Youth Participation

TDHIF enabled children and youth’s voices to be heard in key international fora, such as the UN Human Rights Council, preparatory sessions to the UN Summit of the Future, the Africa Children’s Summit, the European Humanitarian Forum and others.

The collaboration with Child Rights Connect resulted in a historic achievement: one of the panels at the UN Human Rights Council’s Annual Day on the Rights of the Child was composed entirely of children and youth, underscoring the importance and the viability of child participation in global discussions.