World Children's Day 2020: Children are leading their communities through COVID-19

A member of the Children's Parliaments in India, interviewing another child for the survey.

World Children’s Day is recognised each year on 20th November. It is an opportunity to advocate, promote and celebrate children's rights and marks the day when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

This is a promise made 30 years ago by governments across the world to do everything in their power to protect and promote children’s rights to survive and thrive, to learn and grow, to make their voices heard and to reach their full potential. 

Children on the Edge is also marking its 30th year in 2020, and the convention guides all the work that we do to this day. We continually work to resource and support children to be agents of change in their own futures. 
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Since 1990 we have worked with some truly inspirational children who have made their voices heard and created incredible change. This year, the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in a child rights crisis, but the children we work with have been rising to the challenge and using their voices to keep their communities safe. 

Children’s parliaments in India

​Through 10 Children’s Parliaments in Patna, 410 children learn about their rights and responsibilities and how to campaign for change.

In a short space of time, the Children’s Parliaments have had a huge impact in their communities, improving health and hygiene, campaigning, holding immunisation drives, helping children access education and preventing incidences of child trafficking.

​Whilst the pandemic has meant that many of their regular meetings, campaigns and activities have been paused, the ​Children’s Parliaments have been instrumental helping their communities through the crisis. 

They helped to identify families who were most in need for our food relief programme and were also involved with the facilitation of the supply parcels. They have shown immense commitment in spreading awareness about preventing the spread of the virus. 

In response to the rise of child abuse and exploitation during lockdown, throughout August, Child Parliament leaders initiated and facilitated a survey for 110 children, to help identify cases for support and trauma counselling.

Moja kids in Bangladesh

​After introducing digital lessons in Bangladesh, the children fed back that they would like the opportunity to use the technology to create their own content and communicate their own stories. 
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This is when ‘Moja Kids’ was born. Moja Kids is an online platform where children can record and upload their own videos and share them with other children, in the camps and enclave communities. This year they have made awareness videos for thousands of their friends, showing how to prevent the spread of the virus

​Thanks to an exciting crowdfunding campaign earlier this year, Moja kids is set to go global in 2021, connecting children in Bangladesh with the Child Rights Clubs in Uganda. Giving children a chance to share their experiences and connect far beyond the confines of the camps and slums. ​

Child Rights Clubs in Uganda

​​Child Rights Clubs in Loco, Wandago and Masese I have helped clean up their communities, held workshops to teach other children about their rights and responsibilities and helped to prevent instances of child labour, exploitation and abuse within their communities. 

During lockdown they have been receiving advocacy training facilitated by local social workers and community officers. They started by defining the term ‘advocacy’ and looking at how the concept is all about being a voice for the voiceless. 

The children were encouraged to come up with ideas about how they might use advocacy to help fellow children in their areas. Following the training, members from Wandago Child Rights Club used a drama to attract the attention of other children and pass on information about coronavirus and ways their friends can keep safe. 

These are just a few examples of the change that children can create in their communities when they are seen and their voices are heard. ​

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