Ukraine marks World Children’s Day with a call for everyone to stand up for child rights today and every day

KYIV, 20 November 2025 – Today, for the first time, Ukraine joins the global community in commemorating its National and World Children’s Day together, reaffirming the country’s commitment to safeguarding the rights, wellbeing, and futures of all children, even as the war continues to rage and devastate young lives.

Tragically, on the eve of World Children’s Day, attacks across Ukraine reportedly killed 3 children and injured 19 more, a grim reminder that no child, no home, is safe in Ukraine. More than 3,100 children have been killed or injured since February 2022, according to UN verified data.

Years of war have violated and deprived children of every right. Children who wake up to alarms and explosions, whose education is disrupted as they move between shelters and classrooms, and who live with displacement, grief and anxiety.  

Thirty-six years since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF warns that the rights enshrined in the Convention are under threat globally. Democratic backsliding, the undermining of multilateralism and erosion of international human rights and humanitarian law, as well as spreading disinformation, and dehumanization, are impacting young lives. Conflict and climate crises are also raging, as funding cuts for children put more lives at risk and deepen child deprivation.    

“Despite the tragic realities of war, child rights are not on hold,” said Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine. “We must collectively protect and realize these rights, as our obligation to children. Today, Ukraine is standing up to nurture the country’s greatest asset – its children,” added Mammadzade.  

UNICEF and the Government of Ukraine have partnered on a series of initiatives to recognize the champions of child rights, to listen to children and to empower them on their rights, which are their daily lived experiences.  

The inaugural Family for every child. Better Care awards recognize the champions of child rights, from communities to businesses and individual changemakers, those going above and beyond to enable every child to grow up in a loving and nurturing family environment. By rewarding extraordinary efforts, the initiative inspires, motivates, and encourages others to stand up for child’s rights. The multimedia exhibition Talk to Me launched today, as part of a Children’s Day event in Ukraine’s Parliament, shares the stories of children who were deprived of parental care before being brought up in loving and nurturing family environments.  

A nationwide lesson, under the motto, My Day. My Rights. My Lesson.  is engaging more than 4,800 schools, to spark dialogue among teachers and children on their rights and what they mean in their everyday lives. The lesson format empowers children through increasing knowledge about their rights.

Over the past weeks, a series of influencers and decision-makers joined a digital campaign speaking on the right that is most pertinent to them and encouraging others to stand up for children’s rights. This follows the ‘In the family, child rights are lived everyday’ initiative that recognizes the critical role of caregivers in guiding and nurturing children on their rights.  

“Children are themselves agents of change and they shouldn’t suffer the consequences of poor adult choices. It’s on us to act today, and every day, so every child can access the services and opportunities that they need to thrive in life,” added Mammadzade.  

UNICEF’s annual State of the World’s Children report Ending Child Poverty - Our Shared Imperative released today, reveals that some 417 million children globally are severely deprived in at least two vital areas critical for their health, development, and wellbeing. The report measures deprivations across six categories: Education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation, and water. In Ukraine, the war has had a devastating impact on poverty rates, revealed through a recent UNICEF study that showed material poverty deprivation among children hitting 70 per cent.  

UNICEF and partners continue to do everything possible to mitigate the impact of the war on children but what every child in Ukraine needs is an unconditional and lasting peace, one in which their rights and wellbeing are protected and prioritized.