5 Dedicated Groups Protecting The Rights Of Children

Every child deserves to be able to learn, play, and feel safe. That's why many organizations around the world make it their mission to support, care for, and uplift kids. This list, presented in no particular order, shares several remarkable groups that work to create policies, services, and spaces that defend children's rights and allow the youngest among us to flourish.

Kicking off our list at #1 is the Children's Rights Alliance. This group unites hundreds of member organizations that work together to help children in Ireland by making sure that their rights are respected and protected in the country's laws, policies, and services.

Founded in 1995, the organization examines Irish law and identifies gaps in services or policies that impact children. It then comes up with solutions with the goal of changing children's lives; to do this, it unites its members and puts pressure on the government to put kids first.

For #2, we have Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, a network of international non-governmental organizations that strives to protect children in war zones. Together with its local and international partners, it collects and disseminates information on violations against children throughout the world and uses this information to advocate for change.

Watchlist provides its partners with technical support and advice to strengthen their ability to monitor abuses, to advocate on behalf of children in their communities, and to respond to the immediate needs of victims. The organization then takes the information directly to key decision-makers at the UN Security Council to recommend policy changes.

The #3 entry is the Dallas Children's Advocacy Center. This organization collaborates with public and private agencies to investigate, prosecute, and provide healing services for child abuse cases throughout this region of Texas. It aims to reduce the re-victimization of children and remove barriers to investigation and treatment.

DCAC also offers clinical services and programs for victims and their non-offending family members. In addition, it runs multiple trainings for professionals and hosts a lecture series intended to share information about law enforcement, prosecution, child protective services, social work, probation, parole, medicine, and more.

Coming in at #4 is the Global Child Forum, located in Stockholm, Sweden. It works to bring together thought leaders from business, civil society, academia, and government in order to spur action for social change around children's rights.

As its name suggests, the organization's international forums are a key element of its approach. Held in Sweden and regionally in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, these events are multi-stakeholder platforms to exchange best practices, foster learning, and provoke conversations with the goal of creating solutions for the most pressing issues facing the world's children.

To close out our list at #5, we have Pajama Program, a nonprofit that aims to promote and support a comforting bedtime routine and healthy sleep for children to help them thrive. To fulfill its mission, the organization delivers new pajamas, storybooks, and more to children facing adversity.

Pajama Program offers bedtime resources and sleep education nationwide, as well as through local initiatives in New York City, Atlanta, and Detroit. Its Reading Centers provide a variety of programming for children led by specialists in education and child development.