20 November: World Children’s Day

“For me, it is important that my parents and adults take me seriously and listen to my opinions and beliefs,” said one of the students attending an artistic workshop held today in the...

“For me, it is important that my parents and adults take me seriously and listen to my opinions and beliefs,” said one of the students attending an artistic workshop held today in the EU Info Centre, marking World Children’s Day on 20 November. The students expressed their creativity by depicting those rights most important to them and the ones – as they underlined – “grownups need to respect”.

Some thirty students from six grades of Sarajevo’s Grbavica II Primary School had an opportunity to express their opinions on children’s rights and how important it is to respect them. The majority of them agreed that learning about their rights is necessary in order for them to have their voices heard and be taken seriously by adults.

Considering the everyday abuse of children’s rights across the world, the European Union marks this day with the aim of raising awareness, and promoting and strengthening children’s rights across the world.

“Today we stand united in our determination to protect and promote the rights of children everywhere. These rights are universal, indivisible and inalienable. Every single child has the right to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment – free from any form of violence, abuse, harassment or neglect. It is our collective task to do everything we can to ensure that these rights are respected and ensured for every child, everywhere,” notes the European Commission on the occasion of Universal Children’s Day.

World Children’s Day is not just a day for celebration, but means to raise awareness of children who suffer violence, exploitation and discrimination across the world.

This significant date was determined by the UN General Assembly in 1954 and, five years later, in 1959, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was accepted and signed by Bosnia and Herzegovina. The UN General Assembly recommended that all countries mark World Children’s Day as an international day of unity and understanding among children.