The next 35 years – realising the vision under the convention on the rights of the child: a call for more reflection and strategic thinking

UNICEF’s 2024 State of the World’s Children report focused on the challenges and trends likely to shape children’s futures. In dealing with these challenges, UNICEF remains committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as the best possible guide for building the future for every child. Sadly, this faith in the UNCRC is not universally shared, and, as the UN Secretary General warned in 2023, children’s rights are often misunderstood, disregarded, or disputed. As such, there exists a serious challenge to realising the vision for children under the UNCRC. This paper draws on the author’s experience as an academic and advocate working in the field of children’s rights for nearly 30 years. Its aim is to offer insights and encourage a broader conversation about the strategic measures required to address this challenge.