World Children’s Day, as it is now known, is celebrated on November 20 every year in commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.
2021 Theme: A Better Future for Every Child
When we think of children, we think of young people who we love and nurture. We associate children with education, play, and their presence light up our world. However, this is not the case for some children. Many still live in poverty and fear. Some live without access to education, and some are so disadvantaged that they become prey to back-breaking labor, neglect, and abandonment. More recently, children live in uncertainty as COVID-19 rage around us all.
We need to remember that children also represent hope. They are the people who will inherit the world and make full use of the future. Aptly, the theme for this year’s World Children’s Day celebration is “Better Future for Every Child.” Let us hope for a future in which children worldwide can grow, play and study in a safe and healthful world.
Related observances
June 4: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
June 12: World Day Against Child Labour
August 12: International Youth Day
October 11: International Day of the Girl Child
For more information on World Children’s day, visit:
https://www.unicef.org/world-childrens-day-1
https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-childrens-day
Aisyah Mohd Soberi
Representative for Malaysia
Roya Institute for Global Justice.