Children have rights.
Children want peace.
Listen and take action!
#ProveItMatters
Conflict-affected children: the situation in numbers
Data collected and verified by the United Nations from conflict-affected situations in 2023.
+ 32,990
The number of grave violations faced by children which includes the recruitment and use, killing and maiming, sexual violence and abduction of children, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access.
+ 22,500
The number of children who were affected by recruitment and use, killing and maiming, sexual violence and abduction.
+ 11,640
The number of children killed and maimed.
Understanding children's rights
Every child deserves to feel safe, loved and cared for, yet millions of children are still living in places of war.
To protect children, the world has identified six grave violations children face in war, rooted in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), an international treaty that recognizes the rights and needs of every child.
What actions are taken by Member States?
In 1989, world leaders made a historic commitment by adopting almost unanimously the CRC, defining who is a child, and confirming their unique rights and special needs. Despite this commitment, children continue to be the silent victims of war. Discover which Member States have publicly recommitted to their ratification to the CRC and which Member States under the children and armed conflict agenda took concrete measures to safeguard children's rights.
Items in the map
Countries that have recommitted to the CRC
Good practices carried out by countries
An origami dove,a message of peace
All children are invited to participate in a global initiative symbolized by the dissemination of messages of peace in and through origami doves that they will create and that they can share with the United Nations to be included in an upcoming art piece.
Partners
Frequently asked questions
- How can I get involved in the campaign?
Download the InfoPack, learn and engage about children’s rights with your family, friends, peers and community. Children are also invited to directly participate in a global action by drawing and/or writing a message regarding their rights and peace addressed to the leaders of the world, in the square paper dedicated for that purpose in the InfoPack. They can then fold the paper into an origami peace dove following the instructions contained in the InfoPack or, if preferred, children can use a simpler cut-out peace dove. If you are an adult, you can assist children in the conduct of this activity. Origami doves should then be sent to one of the addresses mentioned in the Infopack, in order to be integrated into an art piece that will be created with all the origami doves collected and displayed at the United Nations in New York. Information about the art piece will be shared at a later date.
And don’t forget to spread the world about this campaign!
- Who can participate in making the origami doves?
Any children, meaning anyone around the world, who is between 0 and 18 years of age can make and share their origami doves.
- How can I stay updated about the campaign?
To stay updated about the campaign, check our website at Proveitmattersnow.com and childrenandarmedconflict.un.org. You can also contact us by email proveitmatters@un.org for more information.
- Is there a deadline for submitting my origami dove?
Origami doves can be submitted during the entire length of the campaign.
- Where to send my origami dove?
Origami doves can be sent by mail to one of the following offices:
- New York (United States) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed conflict, FF Building, 305 E. 45th street, New York
- Brussels (Belgium) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed conflict, Rue de la loi, 155 Brussels, Belgium
- Doha (Qatar) Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed conflict, UN House – Lusail Zone No:69 – Street No:133 – Building No:20, Doha, Qatar
Or
You can send a picture of your drawing and/or letter to proveitmatters@un.org and a dove will be folded from your drawing and/or letter.
- What happens to the doves after the campaign ends?
In every effort possible, messages received will be digitalized and kept as long as allowed by United Nations internal guidance. The origami doves will be kept for one year after the end of the campaign and then discarded if no further purpose is envisaged.
