World Children’s Day
by Anera
Posted in: Days of Observance
Every year since it was established by the United Nations in 1954, World Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20. Each year, this date marks the celebration of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, reminding us to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide and efforts to improve children’s welfare.
2025 Theme: My Day, My Rights
This World Children’s Day, we recognize the importance of standing up for the rights of children in Gaza and the West Bank. Every day, children in Gaza face circumstances out of their control – fighting, famine and other emergencies. But regardless of external circumstances, every child possesses rights such as the right to education and the right to a healthy childhood.
Even in the midst of crises, every child deserves the right to learn. However, according to UNRWA, most of the approximately 660,000 children in Gaza are out of school and at risk of becoming a “lost generation” due to a complete absence of education. More than 97 percent of all schools have been damaged or destroyed, and more than 91 percent of all educational facilities will need reconstruction or rehabilitation to become functional again, according to UNICEF.
Protecting children’s right to education is one of the cornerstones of Anera’s programs. We have long recognized the power of children’s learning to not only transform individual lives, but to rebuild communities. In Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan, we promote access to learning for all children through our early childhood education, school infrastructure and afterschool programs.
While every child deserves the right to be healthy and nourished, children in Gaza face countless barriers to a healthy childhood, from destroyed hospitals to lack of access to food. Nearly all children in Gaza are at an imminent risk of famine, and all children under the age of five are at a high risk of malnutrition.
Additionally, more than one million children in Gaza are in need of mental health support, and an estimated 64,000 children have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 according to UNICEF.
Anera contributes to efforts to protect children’s right to a healthy childhood through our healthcare and psychosocial support programs. We train healthcare professionals that teach healthy habits to children and help parents identify symptoms and treatment options for common diseases to keep children healthy. We also conduct psychosocial support sessions for traumatized children, helping victims heal and recognizing the right of every child to feel safe and protected amid crisis.
World Children’s Day is a reminder to stand up for the rights and needs of children in the communities we serve. Children are the future, and strong communities can only survive by investing in and protecting the rights of children today.
On World Children’s Day, we cannot forget about Gaza’s children. Donate today to supply baby kits, food, and more for youth in Gaza and beyond. Any donation counts and can have a lifesaving impact. Give at anera.org/children.
2021 Theme: A Better Future for Every Child
Children are at the heart of many Anera programs. They are, after all, our hope for the future. So, our Anera community steps up for young people in a multitude of ways, from building preschools and training teachers to teaching job skills and involving youth in improving their communities.
In honor of World Children’s Day, below are some of our favorite social media posts that featured children over the past several months.
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