Guides

Guides

Here you will find - in plain language - information, guides and toolkits to help you protect, promote and advocate for children’s rights. They are full of information and advice, from navigating and understanding the UN system and bringing strategic court cases, to getting positive images of children in the media.

These guides are free to access, download, use and share and we hope you will find them helpful. If you have any suggestions for new guides or how we can make these ones better, please email us.

Introduction to Children's Rights
The basics
What are children's rights?
20 Dec 2013
Children must enjoy the same human rights as adults and be treated with respect and dignity.
What rights are unique to children?
20 Dec 2013
Articles in the CRC which provide unique rights for safeguarding and protecting children.
Discrimination and the CRC
7 Jan 2014
How discrimination affects the fulfilment of all children’s rights set out in the CRC.
Users' Guides to Children's Rights
Rights based approaches
Guides for practitioners
8 Jan 2014
Advice on how a rights based approach can be applied to your day to day in the work.
The UN and the International Human Rights System
Children's rights mechanisms
Introducing UN rights mechanisms
19 Dec 2013
What do they do, how do they operate, and how can they be used to advocate for human rights?
Regional mechanisms
8 Jan 2014
The systems developed to offer a more specific framework and reflect regional values.
National mechanisms
19 Jan 2017
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Children, the Law and Legal systems
Legal guides
USING THE LAW FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS: An introductory guide
4 Jul 2017
While many authorities can tolerate some traditional campaigning methods, it is usually harder to ignore the law. As part...
Legal advocacy workshop toolkit
10 Mar 2015
A summary toolkit providing guidance to advocates planning to hold their own legal advocacy workshops.
CRC complaints mechanism toolkit
4 Feb 2014
When justice systems fail to provide redress the CRC complaints mechanism can be utilised.
Child-friendly justice
4 Feb 2014
Child-friendly justice needs to be adopted, whether children are victims, witnesses, offenders or complainants.
Legal assistance toolkit
31 Jan 2014
Legal assistance for children should not be viewed as a luxury, it must be recognised as a human right.
Guide to strategic litigation
30 Jan 2014
Using the law in the courtroom as a tool for effective children's rights advocacy.
Campaigns and Advocacy Toolkits
Get involved
Accessing justice for violations of children’s rights in care institutions
21 Mar 2017
Guide detailing the legal and practical tools available to end violations of children's rights in institutional care, and to provide information on redress.
Sexual violence by peacekeepers
26 Aug 2016
Advocacy guide on how to stop sexual violence against children's rights in peacekeeping
Guide to the CRC's General Comment on business and children's rights
21 Apr 2016
Practical guide on how to use the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child’s 16th General Comment
Inhuman sentencing toolkit
12 Mar 2014
Advocacy ideas for organisations or individuals in States subjecting children to inhuman sentencing.
Child sexual abuse and the Holy See campaign toolkit
15 Jan 2014
The first step in our campaign for transparency, accountability and reform in the Catholic Church.
Challenging discrimination
4 Jan 2014
The diverse areas of discrimination against children and how to successfully challenge them.
Communications Guides
Spread the word
Campaigning safely online
26 Feb 2014
Children's rights defenders who use the internet as an advocacy platform are vulnerable to the risks it poses.
Media toolkit
17 Feb 2014
Getting your message across and depicting children in a way that promotes their rights.