This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ever since the Convention was adopted by the UN on November 20, 1989, it has been a global symbol for the protection and promotion of children's rights. Sweden also made the Convention into law almost four years ago, but we still need to ask ourselves the question: How far have we come in ensuring children's rights in practice?

The gaps between our neighborhoods are growing at an accelerated pace, a trend that is clearly reflected in the educational achievements, economic conditions and well-being of young people. Socio-economic disparities are not only visible at the individual level, but also stigmatize entire neighbourhoods. Young people's chances of success are strongly linked to where in the country they grow up.

We can no longer turn a blind eye to the downward spiral. Inequalities in children's opportunities must be taken seriously. All young people, regardless of where they grow up, have the right to an equal chance of education and a good life. Political action is now needed to slow down this trend.

Sweden, and other countries that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, are reviewed every five years by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. This is an accountability of how a country lives up to the rights of children. In its latest review, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child gave Sweden several remarks. These included that many children do not feel that their voices are heard and that Swedish authorities do not take children's opinions seriously.

A key aspect of the UNCRC is precisely the right of children to be listened to and to have their views taken into account in decisions that affect them. Sweden has made several advances in involving children. Children and young people now have the right to express their views on issues that affect them in both family and legal contexts.

However, there are still significant gaps in how children's views are taken into account in practice, particularly in situations related to migration and social services. Children's voices are sometimes not given equal weight, leading to their perspectives being overlooked in decision-making processes. This is a democratic problem and a loss for society as a whole. Children's views and experiences contribute to better decisions and solutions, for all of us.

We hear politicians talk about how they want to include young people in societal development, but it takes more than just giving young people a formal seat at the table; we also need to give them the tools and support to participate.

Many of the young people Erikshjälpen meets in its work with people in underprivileged neighborhoods feel like strangers in their own country. No one cares what they think. We believe this can be countered by empowering all children to participate in society, especially when it comes to issues that affect them. Allowing children and young people to own their issues, platforms and meeting places.

Children and parents need help to realize their potential and create the conditions to develop both themselves and their area.

These measures could make it a reality:

• Participation and Influence: Children and young people must be given the conditions and opportunities for platforms to exert influence and be genuinely involved. Municipalities and government agencies need to establish clear structures for issues that affect young people.
• Training: Politicians and officials should be provided with training on children's rights and in particular on children's right to participation and how to promote children's empowerment in a meaningful way.
• Child impact assessments: Child impact assessments should be a mandatory part of decision-making processes, to ensure that children's interests and rights are taken into account.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is clear. All children, without exception, should have their rights fulfilled. This means the right to education, health, adequate living conditions, protection from violence and to grow up in conditions that allow them to develop and reach their full potential.

So as the Convention on the Rights of the Child turns 35, let's make sure that children's rights are not just something written on a piece of paper, but that they are implemented and apply to all children, no matter where they grow up in Sweden. Fine words and promises are no longer enough - our young people deserve real influence and participation.

Now we want to see concrete action from responsible politicians and officials: Give young people to influence the decisions that shape their future. We want to see it now! Sweden cannot lose another generation to exclusion. Let's work together to create an inclusive society where young people's voices are not only heard, but also taken seriously.

Author: 

Mattias Ingeson, Secretary General of Erikshjälpen.

Birgitta Johansson, Head of Erikshjälpen Sweden.

We are representatives of 14 organisations working in different ways for children's rights globally. In connection with the launch of the World's Children campaign, we now choose to join forces to say that it is time to take the situation of children seriously, if we want the next generation to have the opportunity to live in a safe and sustainable world. When voices are raised that we do not belong together, that we should not help each other - then we need counter-forces that say otherwise. All of us and all of you tens of thousands of people in Sweden who are involved in Världens Barn and for children's rights - we are such a counterforce together. To reverse the negative trend, we need to strengthen cooperation between actors within Sweden - and between Swedish civil society and civil society in other countries - not weaken it. Young people's voices need to be taken seriously and, above all, we must dare to invest in interventions that promote children's rights globally.

As UN Secretary-General António Guterres himself writes, this year's UN report on the global goals makes for grim reading. For more than a third of the goals, progress has stagnated or even gone backwards. In 2020, extreme poverty increased for the first time in decades and recovery has been tough, especially for low-income countries. The aftermath of the pandemic, combined with armed conflicts and rising food prices, has left hundreds of millions of people unable to feed themselves in 2023. At the same time, last year saw the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth and climate-related disasters are affecting people's ability to live, work and play. In addition, wars and armed conflicts have created a situation where more people than ever before have been forced to flee their homes. This is a worrying state of the world, and in this situation - as always - it is children who suffer the most.

According to the United Nations, 148 million children under the age of five worldwide lack sufficient food to grow and develop. If trends continue, one in five children will be stunted by 2030. In addition, only three out of four children have access to drinkable water and as many as 1,000 children under five die every day due to lack of access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation, according to UNICEF.

A total of 250 million children between the ages of six and 18 do not have access to education. According to UNESCO, this figure has increased by six million since 2021 alone. Poverty is the main cause, but political instability, armed conflict and natural disasters are also obstacles. Children who do not attend school are often forced to work and are at greater risk of sexual abuse and child marriage. They also find it harder to find work and are more likely to have health problems as adults.

One in five children today is growing up in areas of armed conflict. According to a UN report released in June this year, violence against children in conflict situations has increased alarmingly. Children are increasingly being recruited into wars, attacked in their homes and kidnapped on their way to school. In 2023, the equivalent of 15 children were killed every day in armed conflict. In Gaza alone, 14,000 children have been killed since the outbreak of war, according to UNICEF.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the first version of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and we see that the overall picture of the situation of children globally is extremely disappointing. But we know that there is a chance to change it. We are 14 organisations with long experience and broad expertise in global development and children's rights. Every day, we and our partners work to protect, empower and develop children and their rights around the world. These are our joint proposals on how we can work together to strengthen children's rights:

• Listen to children and young people and their demands. Help ensure that young people have a say in decisions that affect their lives and futures.
• Raise your voice for warring countries to respect international law on the protection of civilians - there is no excuse for children to be targeted by bullets and bombs.
• Strengthen cooperation between actors within Sweden and between civil society here and civil society in other countries.
• Contribute to interventions that strengthen children's right to health, education and safety in the world. This is a prerequisite for safe and stable societies.

- As a child rights organisation , Erikshjälpen is deeply concerned about the decisions that are now being made for aid policy, says Mattias Ingeson, Secretary-General of Erikshjälpen. The government is once again backing away from its global responsibility. Further reducing aid means that Sweden will most likely not be able to meet its international commitments. Only a small part of the global goals are expected to be achieved by 2030.

The cuts are visible in area after area. Climate, peace work, aid, gender equality, trade and not least daring to demand that Corporate take responsibility for human rights.It is now more important than ever that Erikshjälpen continues to work in the hard-hit countries that the government chooses to leave to their fate.

New government decision for Sida support

In the same week as the autumn budget was presented, the government also decided on a new strategy for support to civil society (the CIVSAM strategy). The strategy is valid between 2025-2029 and it is through this that Erikshjälpen and other civil society organizations receive support for their activities.

Erikshjälpen is cautiously positive about the new strategy. The government will continue to emphasize the rights of women and girls, an area that Erikshjälpen prioritizes in many of its interventions. An area that Erikshjälpen prioritizes in several of its interventions. The following lines also give hope for the future:

"It is by investing in the younger generation that aid can help lay the foundations for longer-term positive change in the welfare of poor countries. For this reason, attention should also be given to activities that include children, their experiences and life situations."

- "The doors for continued support to Erikshjälpen are still open," says Mattias Ingeson. "Now Sida can decide who will be allowed to apply for funding for next year and beyond. We hope for a positive decision within a few weeks.