World Children's Day today

World Children’s Day is observed every year on November 20. This is a global celebration dedicated to the welfare, rights, and future of children.

The day is an opportunity to amplify children’s voices and address issues they face, such as educational inequality, child labour, and inadequate access to healthcare. It is also a call to action for governments, organizations, and communities to implement policies that protect and empower children, ensuring they have a safe and nurturing environment to grow in.

World Children's Day, established by the UN in 1954, is commemorated annually on 20 November to promote international solidarity, raise awareness of children’s rights, and drive actions to improve their well-being. It also marks the anniversaries of the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. However, this year's observance is overshadowed by the severe struggles of children caught in global crises.

This year's World Children's Day, rather than a celebration, represents a fight for survival for millions of children worldwide, according to a UNICEF spokesperson who spoke to Anadolu Agency. Conflicts, climate crises, and systemic neglect are destroying young lives, said James Elder.

"World Children's Day should be a time for celebration and reflection. For children in Gaza and Lebanon, however, it is about survival rather than celebration," Elder remarked. He highlighted the situation in Sudan, where five million children have been affected, including one million under the age of five who have been displaced by violence. He also noted the intensifying attacks in Ukraine.

"It will be an extraordinarily heavy day," Elder said ahead of the internationally recognised observance. From wars and mental health crises to climate-related issues, he stressed that leaders have a tremendous responsibility to address these challenges and condemned the prevailing impunity.