Petition and Declaration on the Best Interests of  Children and on Supporting  the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child

25 organizations and 14 individual experts of the Child Rights NGO Coalition published in March 2021 its resolution welcoming the  European Commission’s long-awaited Strategy on the Rights of the Child.

We all agree that we need a common European strategy which covers all children, promotes the full enjoyment of their rights. We accept as a cornerstone that children’s rights are human rights, so our common goal is to ensure  the provision of all the necessary conditions for children to be able to develop their full potential and to play a leading role as an active participant in our societies, whether it is about achieving fairness and equality, strengthening democracy or even promoting the green and digital dual transition.
The EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the related Child Guarantee Program aiming the reduction of child poverty is an outstanding opportunity, but also an obligation for the more efficient and effective implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, binding to be implemented in all EU countries, including Hungary, since 1991.
We hereby fully reject the statement of the Hungarian Minister of Justice on behalf of the Government – as a State Party of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child – vetoing the adoption of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child on the basis of “avoiding school propaganda of LGBTQ activists.”
The field of competence and responsibility of the “we cannot leave a child behind” principle is in the hands of the EU Member States, including Hungary.
We urge the representatives of the Government to change their viewpoint in order to protect the rights of Hungarian and all children.
At the same time, we are launching a petition in the best interests of the child, for the adoption and implementation of the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child.

October 9, 2021.                                       Board of the Child Rights NGO Coalition