Advancing children’s rights: New Humanity’s proposal to the UN Working group on an optional protocol on the Rights of the Child

20.05.2025

New Humanity has submitted an official contribution to the UN Open-ended Working Group on an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This contribution was prepared by New Humanity’s Geneva office, reflecting its active involvement in UN processes and its strong commitment to promoting human rights and human dignity across various fields.

The proposal urges States and the Working Group to adopt a Family-Centered Human Rights-Based Approach to early childhood care and education (ECCE). This approach seeks to ensure that children’s rights are fully respected and promoted from birth, recognizing the family as the primary environment for care and development. Ultimately, the goal is to guarantee every child a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment where they can reach their full potential.

New Humanity’s proposal calls for a shift in how ECCE is designed and implemented:

  • Family-Centered Human Rights Approach: Recognize the family as essential for the child’s growth and autonomy, placing families at the center of policies and practices related to early childhood.

  • Pluralistic ECCE Options: Offer families different ways to access ECCE depending on their circumstances — whether children attend state institutions, non-state schools, or stay at home. All schools and care settings must be safe spaces for children.

  • Focus on Early Learning and Professional Training: Support learning from birth and even during the prenatal period, while ensuring that professionals in ECCE receive thorough ethical and technical training.

  • Care and Protection from Emerging Technologies: Address the impact of new technologies like artificial intelligence and digital devices on children’s development, and propose that part of the profits from technology companies be allocated to finance ECCE programs.

By centering the family and respecting diverse care arrangements, this approach aims to uphold children’s rights in the most comprehensive and inclusive way possible. Protecting children from an early age requires coordinated efforts among States, families, and professionals, especially in today’s rapidly evolving technological environment.

➡️📄 Interested in a detailed understanding of these proposals? New Humanity’s full contribution to the UN Working Group is available here.