This year the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust children around the world into uncertainty.

At ChildFund, we are also deeply concerned about the impact this pandemic will have on the children and families with whom we work; communities who are already vulnerable due to poverty.

If the issues facing children are not addressed, they could have a devastating impact on children now and in the future.

Despite this uncertainty, children around the world are optimistic about the world they are helping to shape.

On World Children’s Day, we’re sharing the views of children and young people around the world who imagine a brighter future.

Namfonh, 16, Laos

“In the future, children will dare to speak out, share their ideas, and participate in society,” Namfonh said. “They’ll be able to access quality information, and will have skills and show their capacities in their daily lives.”

Namfonh said children needed to keep pushing for change in their communities and for more opportunities to have their opinions and ideas heard.

“Experience is something we have to go after and pursue,” Namfonh said. “It isn’t just going to come to us; we have to walk towards it.”

Feb, 17, Timor-Leste

Seventeen-year-old Febis blazing a trail in her small community in Timor-Leste. She is a passionate and confident ChildFund Pass It Back coach who wants to change the future for girls and women in her country.

“In Timor-Leste, there is no gender equality,” she says. “We still use this ancient system, where opportunities are given to boys or men. There are less opportunities in terms of education and jobs for girls and women. Women have no opportunity to lead; they just know how to cook.”

But Feb is stirring the pot. As a ChildFund Pass It Back coach she is a part of a new generation of girls and young women in Timor-Leste who are learning about their rights and taking action.

“What I would like to change in Timor-Leste is this ancient system; we have to give opportunities for girls and women so they can develop themselves and they can become leaders,” Feb says.

Recently, she applied to become a member of the Youth Parliament. Her motive?

“I want to raise the issue of gender equality,” Feb says. “I want equal opportunities for girls and boys in Timor-Leste.”

Jane, 22, Kenya

Where Jane lives in Kiambu County, Kenya, a rural community known for its sprawling coffee farms, it’s unusual to see a young woman entering such a traditionally male-dominated industry. In fact, youth unemployment in Kenya is high regardless of gender.

According to the country’s 2018 Basic Labour Force Report, more than 11 percent of youth aged 15-34 in the country are unemployed, putting them at risk of poverty and homelessness.

The dangers are even greater for unemployed or low-income girls in this age group, who face higher rates of teen pregnancy and gender-based violence than their peers.

But Jane has the confidence of a girl who knows she’s going places, thanks in part to ChildFund’s job training programs, which focus on the specific needs of young adults.

When you ask Jane why she decided to study electrical work, her response is simple: “Because I liked it.”

She grins. Then she adds: “I wanted to help people. And I wanted to show other girls that there is no course they can’t take.”

Phongsavanh, 15, Laos

By 2030, I want all children to have access to a quality education. I want improved maternal and child healthcare, and better nutrition for children, and I want children to be able to access appropriate platforms to learn and exchange their knowledge and their skills.

I also want communities to be well prepared for the effects of climate change. We need to promote the 3Rs (Reuse, Reduce and Recycle) in our communities so we can reduce the impact.

In addition, I want children in Laos to be able to access to digital devices and the digital world, but we also need to know how to use the internet safely.

My aspiration is to make sure all children in my country know their rights. I want to encourage them to develop their knowledge and skills as much as possible so they can have a good future.

To children and young people everywhere,

On behalf of everyone at ChildFund, I want to send you our warmest wishes for World Children’s Day.

Today marks the 31^st anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Children’s Convention). This is an international agreement which 196 countries around the globe have agreed to uphold.

The Children’s Convention was created in recognition that the experiences of childhood can last a lifetime. Because of your youth and vulnerability, world leaders agreed that you are entitled to special care and protection, whilst also acknowledging you have the right and ability to make your own choices.

With 54 rights in total, the Children’s Convention requires governments to do all in their power to ensure children survive and thrive, live in safe communities, have opportunities to learn and develop, and play an active role in society.

But perhaps most importantly, the Children’s Convention affirms that children should be valued as children.

We know that you can make important contributions to the world now, during your younger years, and that we, as adults, must listen and engage you on issues of importance to your lives and your futures.

This year has been a particularly difficult one for so many children and young people, with the COVID-19 pandemic having such unforeseen and far-reaching impacts on your lives.

Your education has been interrupted, with schools closing or moving online. It is difficult to undertake study independently at home, and even more so for those without digital connectivity. I know many of you are also missing the regular interaction with your friends and teachers.

In many homes, parents or caregivers have lost their jobs and income, and are worried about providing for their family. I understand how difficult it can be to live with ongoing uncertainty, and the stress that results.

The pandemic has highlighted ongoing inequality for children around the globe. It is clear that there is much to be done to ensure that every child has their rights respected and upheld.

But I also hope for the adults of this world that these challenging times caution us to stop and reflect. As the UN Secretary General António Guterres said earlier this year, the pandemic provides an important wake-up call.

He noted: “We need to build back better with more sustainable, inclusive, gender-equal societies and economies.”

We cannot commit to this enormous undertaking without your input; it is vital that children and young people play a major part of this important global conversation as we reimagine a better world.

As individuals and a generation who enrich our lives in so many ways, we hope that you can celebrate World Children’s Day in your home, village, community, or neighbourhood.

We wish you good health, safety, reconnection with friends, opportunity, and, if possible, fun in the months ahead. Thanks for making our world a better place.

Margaret Sheehan
CEO, ChildFund Australia