The Joining Forces alliance hosted a global forum on 20 November 2020 to elevate children’s voices on Universal Children’s Day. Young people from around the world exercised their right to be heard, as afforded by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, with a special focus on COVID-19 response and recovery.
Also known as World Children’s Day, a United Nations’ Resolution first established Universal Children’s Day in 1954. Celebrated annually on 20 November, the day promotes international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children’s welfare. It is a day recognized around the globe for advocating, promoting and celebrating children’s rights.
This virtual event, organised by Joining Forces, provided young people the opportunity to present their perspectives to a global audience of policy-makers, decision-makers, experts and advocates for children’s rights. Programme sessions featured comments and observations from children and youth, an interactive child-led panel, remarks from high-level actors, and video statements from children around the globe.
Feedback from children during the event is being incorporated in a new Joining Forces policy brief to be released in January, titled We’re Talking, Are You Listening?