A step in the (human) right direction for children being deprived of liberty worldwide

Today, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially requested for the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty to be carried out. In its Child Rights Resolution, the UNGA explicitly invites for the commission of “an in-depth global study on children deprived of liberty”. This marks the success of the campaign calling for such Study and the commencement of its concrete implementation.
Defence for Children International (DCI) is proud to announce the success of its campaign calling for a Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, which was officially launched in March of this year, with the support of over sixty non-governmental organisations (NGOs), States and United Nations human rights agencies and experts.

read the full press release in EN | FR | ES | AR

Advocating for the inclusion of violence against children into the UN post-2015 agenda

DCI as part of the Working Group disseminating the recommendations discussed during the High Level Panel on Violence Against Children, held in September 2014 during the 27th Session of the Human Rights Council

DCI will co-sponsor the event “Moving forward together…for children” at Palais Wilson on 20 November in Geneva in the wake of the 25th anniversary of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Participants will include distinguished speakers, such as Ms. Flavia Pansieri, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr. Jorge Cardona Llorens, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and Mr. Nigel Cantwell, Expert and CRC Drafting Participant. The objective is to assess the progress made since the adoption of the CRC and discuss continuing challenges and the impact of collaboration on the rights of children. There will also be video presentations on achievements over the past 25 years made through collaboration and how children’s views have a real impact on UN human rights system.
Important note: to enter Palais Wilson you must RSVP here by 10 November. More information is available on the website of Child Rights Connect.

Gender Sensitive approach: key to the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

From the outset of the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone, Defence for Children International - Sierra Leone (DCI-SL) has observed that women and girls are at greater risk of contracting the disease than men and boys. Though the official statistics released to the public are not usually disaggregated by age and sex, these observations have been echoed by UN bodies, humanitarian and human rights organisations monitoring the crisis, as well as health workers. UNICEF in particular has reported that women across the three most affected countries account for 55 to 60 percent of deaths in the epidemic. 

Maa’n for Adala-Together for Justice: Regional Workshop, Cairo (Egypt), 20-22 October 2014

DCI regional desk for the MENA region (DCI Palestine) in collaboration with the International Secretariat organised a three day workshop in Cairo, Egypt, from the 20th to the 22nd of October to discuss about the strengthening of the relationship with the League of Arab States (LAS). The meeting took place in the amazing premises of the LAS and was officially opened by H.E. Ms. Inas Mekkawy, Minister Plenipotentiary, Head of the Department for Family, Childhood and Women of the LAS.

DCI co-organizes event in New York to further lobby for the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

In light of the 69th session of the UNGA and in particular the Third Committee (which considers Children’s Rights specifically), on behalf of the NGO Panel for a Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, DCI together with Human Rights Watch organized a high-level event on Tuesday, 14th of October in New York.  This event saw the participation of expert speakers, including: Marta Santos Pais (Special Representative to the Secretary General on Violence against Children), Kirsten Sandberg (Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child) Susan Bissell (Chief, Child Protection, UNICEF), as well as the introductory remarks of the following permanent representatives: Sheikha Alya Bint Ahmed Bin Saif Al Than (Qatar); May-Elin Stener (Norway) and Cristina Carrion (Uruguay).

DCI Training Session: TOGETHER FOR JUSTICE: capacity building and awareness raising on advocacy and lobbying for children’s rights advocates from the MENA region

From 18 to 24 September 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland, the International Secretariat of Defence for Children International (DCI-IS), in collaboration with Defence for Children-Palestine section, organises a seminar on advocacy and lobbying for children’s rights advocates from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The objective of the training is to strengthen the capacity of DCI representatives from the region on existing international human rights mechanisms and to demonstrate the various ways to effectively advocate and lobby for the human rights of children, and work towards concrete implementation on the ground.
This training is the second of this kind in Geneva and forms part of the regional programme on justice for children that DCI is implementing in some countries in the Middle-East and North Africa.

Unprecedented Ebola Virus Outbreak

The Executive Director of DCI-Liberia, Mr. Foday M. Kawah, presenting Ebola prevention materials to the Commissioner of White Plains

DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (DCI) @35!
Celebrating Achievements & Recognising Challenges

Today, 5 July 2014, Defence for Children International (DCI) celebrates its 35th anniversary. Founded in 1979, the International Year of the Child, DCI was one of the first international organisations dedicated to a child centred approach and held a historical role as drafter and advocate for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). 2014 also marks the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the UNCRC. With now a comprehensive legal tool in hand, which codifies in detail the rights of the child, we have much to celebrate…but significant work remains in making these rights a reality.