Sport is an essential part of a child’s physical and mental development and growth. Unfortunately, far too often, children are maltreated and abused in a sporting environment, and this continues to go unchecked (Human Rights Watch, 2020; OHCHR, n.d.). This is for many...
Children in armed conflict – the Ukraine crisis
In light of the recent events in Ukraine, it is important to emphasise maintaining peace and protection for all children in Ukraine. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine poses an immediate and growing threat to the lives and well-being of the country’s 7.5 million children...
The importance of children’s representation in literature and media
Children’s representation is a key issue for child development and growth, and it has taken different forms over time. Children’s literature has played an important role in the discovery of the external and inner world of children, but the lack of representation of...
A shameful chapter of Irish history: mother and baby homes
A recent flagship report from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), a department of the Government of Ireland, has revealed that many religious institutions in Ireland have been enabling widespread abuse of unwed mothers and...
The influence of period poverty on the rights of girls and women around the world
Despite living in a world where there is a constant desire and drive to identify and understand everything, something as basic and inherent as menstruation is still a topic shrouded with misinformation, taboo, and shame. While menstruation is a way of life for...
Ecocide and its influence on children’s rights
“The climate crisis is a child rights crisis.” – UNICEF, 2021 According to the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), nearly half of the world’s children ‘are at “extremely high risk” of the impacts of climate change.… And it is happening today.’ (UNICEF, 2021, p. 4)....
The plight of child migrants at the Poland-Belarus border
In August 2021, Belarus orchestrated the transportation of thousands of migrants to the threshold of the European Union, triggering a migration crisis of unprecedented proportions. Hundreds of child migrants were stranded at the Polish border in appalling...
The horrors of Canada’s history: the unmarked indigenous graves
In May 2021, Canada was rocked by the discovery of an unmarked gravesite designated for over 200 indigenous children (Cecco, Michael & Voce, 2021). The burial ground, located on the premises of a former school in British Columbia, is testimony to the country’s...
Child brides in Zimbabwe: a call for education
Despite the development of international and national children’s rights and the intensive work of civil society, Zimbabwe is still home to numerous child marriages, threatening the development and well-being of young girls. When a State is unable or unwilling to...
The impact of COVID-19 on child marriage in the Middle East and North Africa
COVID-19 has exacerbated pre-existing vulnerabilities and amplified human rights challenges across the globe. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, young children from at-risk populations – girls in particular – have been forced to face an array of new...









