Save the Children


In an effort to stop the hunger of children in Germany and Austria-Hungary during the Allied blockade of Germany during World War I, which continued after the Armistice, Eglantyne Jebb and her sister Dorothy Buxton established the Save the Children Foundation in London, England, on April 15, 1919. In 1919, the first location was established in Fife, Scotland.

Later that year, on November 19, 1919, Radda Barnen, which translates to "Save the Children," was established in Sweden with Anna Kleman serving on the board. On January 6, 1920, they established the International Save the Children Union in Geneva alongside a number of other organizations. Jebb established strong ties with other Geneva-based organizations, including the Red Cross, which provided financial assistance for Save's International Foundation.

Employees of Save the Children were among the first into the post-World War II liberated zones, working with refugees and displaced people in former occupied Europe, including survivors of Nazi concentration camps. At the same time, efforts in the United Kingdom centered on enhancing living conditions for kids growing up in bombed-out cities with significant disturbances to family life.

Support for the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child

the 1923 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child It met the following five standards −

  • In order for the child to develop normally on both a material and spiritual level, the necessary resources must be provided.

  • Children who are hungry must be fed, children who are ill must be cared for, children who are behind in their studies must be assisted, children who have been delinquent must be retrieved, and children who are orphans or waifs must be provided refuge and assistance.

  • In times of trouble, the youngster must be the first to get assistance.

  • The youngster must be shielded from all forms of exploitation and not be given the opportunity to support themselves.

  • The youngster needs to be raised with the understanding that his or her gifts must be used for the benefit of others.

The Child's Rights Convention

In 1948, the United Nations enacted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in response to the atrocities of World War II. Yet, a lot of people believed that a separate declaration was needed to go into greater depth about children's rights.

The Convention's 54 provisions cover the fundamental rights that all children have to life, development, protection from abuse and exploitation, and full participation in family, culture, and society. The convention's four guiding principles are nondiscrimination, commitment to the child's best interests, the right to life, survival, and growth, and respect for the child's opinions.

Organization and Accountability

Almost 120 countries are served by the international umbrella organization Save the Children, which has 30 national member organizations. Members take the helm of initiatives in their own countries and collaborate with funders to create programs abroad. These initiatives are organized and carried out by a central organization, Save the Children International, through local teams in each nation. Humanitarian initiatives are additionally managed by Save the Children International.

According to the website of Save the Children International, member organizations strive to accomplish four major initiatives −

  • Ensure 8 million kids who are impacted by armed conflict receive a high-quality education.

  • Boost and expand their presence in key important nations.

  • By combining country operations, you can give children a louder voice in areas where many members have programs.

  • By strengthening their capacity for catastrophe preparedness and response, they can better provide children with immediate and long-lasting improvements.

Associations with Other Organizations

Save the Children benefits from monies raised by the British will-writing program Will Aid, which involves participating solicitors waiving their regular charge for drafting a simple will in exchange for the client making a charitable donation. In the area of family tracing and reunion, Save the Children works with other NGOs.

Cooperating With Banks

Fintech for International Development (F4ID), a social venture that "uses digital solutions to help distribute escalating quantities of humanitarian assistance to hard-to-reach places, ensuring it reaches those most in need," was founded by Save the Children, Barclays, and Standard Chartered in 2021.

Importance

Save the Children has a distinctive and reputable voice on children's health concerns as a global leader in newborn and child health. The technical and global health communities have acknowledged it for its significant research, policy work, and advocacy in favor of maternal, neonatal, and child health. Being a major player in these domains, Save the Children is dedicated to bringing child survival to the attention of the United States by training opinion leaders who may support giving this global tragedy more emphasis and public attention.

The two important sectors for child development are −

Child health

Save the Children places a high priority on children's health. In the modern era, common illnesses that can be prevented and treated will kill 16,000 children under the age of five (Save the Children). In order to attain the child survival target of 25 deaths per 1,000 live births and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2030 of ending unnecessary deaths, the organization is committed to working in partnership with governments and other important stakeholders (Save the Children). As child healthcare is essential for preserving children's lives and safety, Save the Children collaborates directly with front line healthcare professionals to improve their training and assistance.

Education

Education is yet another crucial area of attention. By providing them with the resources and training they need to have a positive impact on children's education, Save the Children helps parents, teachers, and community volunteers. By actively taking part in fundraisers, educators also support ideas like Kids Helping Kids. The impact that millennial giving can have has been demonstrated by activities like bake sales, vehicle washes, and walk-a-thons organized by kids.

Conclusion

Children's safety is a top priority and an important part of Save the Children's mission. Save the Children defends children worldwide against exploitation, violence, abuse, and neglect. To ensure the safety of all children, they have created programs that concentrate on at-risk youth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is child Trafficking?

Ans. According to the United Nations, kidnapping a child for the sake of slavery, forced labor, or exploitation constitutes the crime of "recruitment, transit, transfer, harboring, and/or receiving" of minors.

Q2. What is child Labour?

Ans. The definition of "child labor" is frequently given as employment that is injurious to a kid's physical and mental development and robs them of their childhood, their potential, and their dignity.

Q3. What is child abuse?

Ans. Child abuse is the physical, sexual, and/or psychological mistreatment or neglect of a child or children, often by a parent or other caregiver (also known as child endangerment or child maltreatment). Any action or inaction by a parent or caregiver that causes actual or potential injury to a child is considered child abuse.

Q4. What do you mean about childhood trauma?

Ans. Very unfavorable childhood events, or childhood trauma, are frequently used as examples (ACEs). Neglect, abandonment, sexual, emotional, and physical abuse; seeing a parent or sibling mistreat them; or having a parent with mental illness are just a few examples of the variety of situations that children can go through that qualify as psychological trauma.

Updated on: 04-Apr-2023

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