World Children's Day - Resources from Around the World

2024 Theme: Listen to the future.
Stand up for children’s rights.

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s global day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Child rights are human rights. They are non-negotiable and universal. But in too many places today, children’s rights are being misunderstood, disregarded, or even denied and attacked.

Upholding children’s rights is the path to a better world today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Join us on this World Children’s Day and listen to the future.

By listening to children, we can fulfil their right to self-expression, understand their ideas for a better world, and incorporate their priorities into our actions today.

Discover what’s happening and take part.

The future of tomorrow is the children of today.

A review of organizations dedicated to improving the quality of Children's lives. Presented through songs, news reports, mission statements, and children.

UNICEF, World Children's Day
WHO (World Health Organization)

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Kids Eat Right 
We Day

Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring

Listen to the future.

Stand up for children’s rights.

 152 million children are trapped in child labor. Most of them are in agriculture. #Childlabour is depriving millions of girls and boys of their childhoods. Every child has the right to a childhood. #StopChildLabour @FAO

Love Is All | Playing For Change

By resolution 836(IX) of 14 December 1954, the General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. It suggested that the Day was to be observed also as a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the Charter and the welfare of the children of the world. The Assembly suggested to governments that the Day be observed on the date and in the way that each considers appropriate. The date, 20 November, marks the day the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.

In 2000, world leaders outlined Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date 2015. Though the Goals are for all humankind, they are primarily about children.

WHO 10 Facts On Nutrition

1. Malnutrition is a significant contributor to disease and early deaths for mothers and children. Undernutrition, including vitamin and mineral deficiencies, contributes to about one-third of all child deaths and impairs healthy development. At the same time, growing rates of overweight are linked to a rise in chronic diseases. The result is a double burden of malnutrition.

2. An indicator of chronic malnutrition is stunting. This is when children are too short for their age group. About 165 million children globally are stunted, resulting from not enough food, a vitamin-mineral poor diet, inadequate child care, and disease. As growth slows down, brain development lags, and stunted children learn poorly.

3. Wasting and bilateral edema are severe forms of malnutrition - resulting from acute food shortages and compounded by illness. About 1.5 million children die annually due to wasting. Rising food prices, food scarcity in conflict areas, and natural disasters diminish household access to appropriate and adequate food, all of which can lead to waste.

4. Essential vitamins and minerals in the diet are vital to boost immunity and healthy development. Vitamin A, zinc, iron, and iodine deficiencies are primary public health concerns. About 2 billion people are affected by inadequate iodine nutrition worldwide. More than one-third of preschool-age children globally are vitamin A deficient. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children.

5. Maternal undernutrition leads to poor fetal development and a higher risk of pregnancy complications. Maternal and child undernutrition accounts for more than 10 percent of the global disease burden.

6. For healthier babies, WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, introducing age-appropriate and safe complementary foods at six months, and continuing breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond. Worldwide, about 20% of deaths among children under five could be avoided if these feeding guidelines are followed. Appropriate feeding decreases rates of stunting and obesity and stimulates intellectual development in young children.

7. Nutritional problems in adolescents start during childhood and continue into adulthood. Anemia is a critical nutritional problem in adolescent girls. Preventing early pregnancies and assuring adequate intake of essential nutrients for developing girls can reduce maternal and child deaths later and stop cycles of malnutrition from one generation to the next. Globally, anemia affects 42% of pregnant women.

8. The rise in overweight and obesity worldwide is a significant public health challenge. People of all ages and backgrounds face this form of malnutrition. As a consequence, rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other diet-related conditions are escalating worldwide. These are very difficult to treat in places with limited resources and already overburdened health systems. About 43 million children under age five are overweight, according to 2011 figures. 

9. Nutrition information is required to identify the areas where assistance is most needed. WHO released international child growth standards that provide benchmarks to compare children's nutritional status within and across countries and regions. 

10. Public education is another way to improve nutritional health. Starting in China during the Beijing Olympics and continuing in other countries, WHO and the Member States will promote the "5 keys" to a healthy diet:

a. give your baby only breast milk for the first six months of life

b. eat a variety of foods

c. eat plenty of vegetables and fruits

d. eat moderate amounts of fat and oils

e. eat less salt and sugars

Resources

Kids Eat Right

In November 2010, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and ADA Foundation officially launched their first joint initiative, Kids Eat Right. The two-tiered campaign aims to mobilize ADA members to participate in childhood obesity prevention efforts and to educate families, communities, and policymakers about the importance of quality nutrition.

Mission: The Kids Eat Right campaign was launched to support public education projects and programs that address the national health concern of obesity among our children. 

To learn more about the Kids Eat Right Campaign, visit:

Website. Kids Eat Right

Facebook.  Kids Eat Right

"Raffi" (Raffi Cavoukian), C.M., O.B.C. 

Founder and Chair 
Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring

"Imagine a new idea as vital as a democracy.
Now imagine helping it spread
quickly throughout the world!
Child Honouring is one such idea,
an idea whose time has come.

 - Raffi

He is known to millions as "Raffi,"" a beloved songwriter and performer, author, ecology advocate, and founder of the Centre for Child Honouring. Child Honouring is a vision for creating a humane and sustainable world by addressing the universal needs of children.

Raffi Foundation for Child Honouring and join "the compassion revolution."

Young People Marching

Turn This World Around

Raffi's tribute to humanity's hero sprang from Mandela's call to global leaders in 2000 to turn this world around for the children. In 2001, Raffi sang this for Nelson Mandela at Toronto's Ryerson University. The song expresses the essence of Raffi's Child Honouring philosophy, a children-first paradigm for societal change. A child-friendly world enriches all of us and offers the best chance to create sustainable cultures. All children want to live in peace and to follow their dreams.

World Food Programme

As the most significant humanitarian provider of school meals worldwide, the World Food Programme ( WFP), along with governments and partners, supports education, reduces malnutrition, and promotes development, especially during crises and emergencies.

Nearly all countries worldwide have a school meals program, and about 368 million children from kindergarten to secondary school receive daily food. Governments recognize school meals as an essential tool for developing and growing children, communities, and society.

WFP provides school meals to more than 20 million children every year. But many more children do not benefit from school meals, and in countries with the highest poverty rates where school meals would make a big difference, the reach of school meal programs is far smaller. 

Schools are critical in WFP's efforts to create a world where educational and nutritional opportunities reach the hungry poor. It's where we lay the foundation for future generations to grow and thrive.

Healthy Halloween Treats

There are healthy Halloween snacks to choose from when going to the market. Read the label - Make sure fruit snacks are made with 100 percent real fruit; choose treats without trans fats, and look for items with whole grain. 

The following items are available in snack-size packages:
1. Whole-grain cheddar flavored crackers
2. Fruit snacks made with 100% fruit with added vitamin C
3. Fruit leathers made with 100 percent fruit

4. Animal-shaped graham crackers made without trans fat
5. Raisins
6. Individual fruit cups
7. Low-fat pudding cups
8. Baked, unsalted pretzels
9. Popcorn

Make Your Own Halloween Treats

• Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern Peppers
   Oranges and Grapefruit
• Witches Brew
• Mummy Hot Dogs
• Avocado Frankenstein Toast
• Cheese Fingers with Almonds
• Banana Ghosts and Tangerine Pumpkins

Resources
1. EatRight, Enjoy a Healthy and Happy Halloween
2. EatRight, 7 Ways to Make Halloween Safer for Kids with Food Allergies, Rima Kleiner, MS, RD, LDN
3. Terrifying Scary Movies to Watch for Halloween

October 15, Global Handwashing Day

Global Handwashing Day will involve millions of people in over 100 countries around the world. Global Handwashing Day (GHD) was created to:
• Foster and support a global culture of handwashing with soap.
• Shine a spotlight on the state of handwashing in every country.
• Raise awareness about the benefits of handwashing with soap.

Why Handwashing with Soap?

Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrheal and acute respiratory infections, which take the lives of millions of children in developing countries every year. Together, they are responsible for the majority of all child deaths. Yet, despite its lifesaving potential, handwashing with soap is seldom practiced and difficult to promote.

Turning handwashing with soap before eating and after using the toilet into a habit could save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention. It could cut diarrhea deaths by almost half and acute respiratory infection deaths by one-quarter. A vast change in handwashing behavior is critical to meeting the Millennium Development Goal of reducing deaths among children under the age of five by two-thirds by 2015.

Global Handwashing Day focuses on children because they suffer the most from diarrheal and respiratory diseases and deaths. Still, research shows that children can be powerful agents for changing behaviors like handwashing with soap in their communities.

When should you wash your hands?
·         Before, during, and after preparing food
·         Before eating food
·         Before and after caring for someone who is sick
·         Before and after treating a cut or wound
·         After using the toilet
·         After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
·         After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
·         After touching an animal or animal waste
·         After touching garbage
 

For more information on handwashing with soap, including research, tools, and news, visit www.globalhandwashing.org.

It’s In Your Hands

Resources and References

1. CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives

2. Partnership for Food Safety Education, Fight BAC!

3. The Scrub Club is a fun, interactive, and educational website that teaches children the proper way to wash their hands. The site contains interactive games, educational music, downloadable activities for kids, educational materials for teachers, and program information for parents.

4. Healthy Schools, Healthy People, It’s a SNAP! (School Network for Absenteeism Prevention) The program is a joint initiative of the CDC and the American Cleaning Institute. It seeks to improve hand hygiene habits to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and reduce related absenteeism. This grassroots, education-based effort can help improve health by making hand cleaning an integral part of the school day. Without proper hand cleaning, a single infection can quickly spread among students, teachers, family, and friends.

Exercise with Your Child Week

This week encourages parents and guardians to exercise with their children as part of a healthier lifestyle. Exercise enables children to improve their overall well-being, to maintain a healthier weight, and to reduce the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Children need 60 minutes of play with moderate to vigorous activity every day, but it doesn't have to be all at once. 

As a parent, you can help shape your child's attitudes and behaviors toward physical activity. Throughout their lives, encourage young people to be physically active for one hour or more each day, with activities ranging from informal, active play to organized sports. Here are some ways you can do this:

•Set a positive example by leading an active lifestyle.

•Make physical activity part of your family's daily routine by taking family walks or participating in active games together.

•Give your children equipment that encourages physical activity.

•Take young people to places where they can be active, such as parks and community centers.

•Be positive about physical activities in which your child participates and encourages them to be interested in new activities.

•Make physical activity fun, such as individual sports, and recreational activities including walking, running, skating, bicycling, swimming, and playground activities (check with your local health department regarding the safety of team sports).

•Instead of watching television, encourage your child to find fun activities such as walking, playing chase or riding bikes.

•Be safe! Always provide protective equipment such as helmets, wrist pads or knee pads and ensure that activity is age-appropriate.

Sid the Science Kid-Work Your Body

More and more children programs are encouraging
physical activities.

Exercise and the Physically Challenged
Physical activity is important for all children.
Get advice from a professional with experience in physical activity and disability. They can tell you more about the amounts and types of physical activity that are appropriate for your child's abilities.

Resources.
Kids Eat Right, Make Fitness Fun for the Whole Family

We Can

Kitchen Klutzes of America Day National Safety Month Create a Safe Kitchen

Kitchen Safety for Kids: Fun & Secure Cooking Tips

Kitchen safety involves avoiding and looking for potential hazards. Focus your attention on four main areas.

• Fire and Electrical Hazards
• Food Preparation
• Food Safety and Cleanliness
• Create a Child-Friendly Kitchen

Fire and Electrical Hazards

 1. Use a 3-prong grounded connection on all appliances.
 2. Do not use extension cords.
 3. Discard any broken or damaged appliances.
 4. Turn off burners immediately when not in use.
 5. Keep dish towels, pot holders, and paper towels away from the stove or other hot areas where they can catch fire.
 6. Do not leave candles burning unattended. Place in flameproof containers.
 7. Keep a fire extinguisher in or near the kitchen, but away from the stove or other hot areas.
 8. Keep lighters and matches away from the reach of children.

Kitchen Safety - Fire Hazards

Food Preparation

 1. Turn the handles of cooking pots and pans away from the front of the stove.
 2. Be careful when removing the lid from hot foods. The heat can burn you.

 3. Never leave cooking foods unattended!!
 4. Close cabinet doors and draws when not in use.

 5. Make sure appliances with sharp areas are unplugged before touching them.
 6. Use proper lifting techniques when carrying heavy items.

 7. Knives - Always cut away from the body when using a knife. Cut using a proper cutting surface. Keep knives clean. Do not leave knives soaking in water. When cleaning the blade, keep the sharp edge away from hands.

Kitchen Safety: Knife Safety

Food Safety and Cleanliness

There are ways to avoid food poisoning and accidents by proper handling of foods and keeping yourself and your work area clean.

 1. Clean up spills immediately.
 2. Always wash your hands before working in the kitchen. Wash with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling food.
 3. Wash kitchen surfaces often, and wash platters before refilling them with fresh food. 

 4. Keep uncooked and ready-to-eat foods separate. Juices from raw meat may cross-contaminate other food if they contain harmful bacteria. 

 5. Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry and another one for vegetables. If you use only one cutting board, wash it with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.
 6. Use a food thermometer to be sure foods are cooked safely. Steaks should be cooked to 145 °F, ground beef cooked to 160 °F, and all poultry cooked to 165 °F.
 7. Never hold hot or cold foods for more than two hours at room temperature, or between 40 °F and 140 °F. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly.
 8. When in doubt, throw it out; do not eat it.

Food Safety

June is National Safety Month

Cooking and spending time in the kitchen is fun for kids, and also provides parents with an opportunity to teach children. Here are tips to create a kid-friendly kitchen:

April 30, Mr. Potato Head Celebrates his Birthday with an Important Health Message

Potato Head is a beloved American toy. He has gone through many changes, but over the last few years, he has become involved in physical fitness and healthy eating. In this birthday video, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head discuss cutting back on salt, butter, and sour cream and increasing their physical activity.

Mr. Potato Head Celebrates his Birthday
with an Important Health Message

History

Mr. Potato Head was invented by George Lerner in 1949 and first manufactured and distributed by Hasbro in 1952. Mr. Potato Head made his debut on April 30, 1952, as the first toy advertised directly to children on television. Before this, all toy advertising was directed to parents. This commercial revolutionized marketing. Over one million kits were sold in the first year.

In 1952, the original Mr. Potato Head kit provided separate plastic parts to be stuck into a real potato or other vegetables. By 1964, due to government regulations, Hasbro was forced to include a plastic potato "body" in its kits. This change was due to choking hazards and sharp pieces.

          Special Appearances
                 and Awards

1987. Mr. Potato Head gives up his pipe to Surgeon General C. Everett Koop in Washington, D.C. and became the "Spokesspud" for the American Cancer Society's annual "Great American Smokeout" campaign. 

May 1, 1992. Mr. Potato Head turns 40 years old and receives the President's Council for Physical Fitness award at the third annual Great American Workout.

1995. Mr. Potato Head made his Hollywood debut with a leading role in the Disney/Pixar movie, Toy Story.

1996. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head joined the League of Women Voters and their "Get out the Vote" campaign.

1997 Mr. Potato Head became the "spokesspud" for Burger King’s new French fries campaign.

1999. Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head starred in Toy Story 2.

March 24, 2000. Mr. Potato Head is inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.

February 12, 2002. Mr. Potato Head rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

2002. On his 50th birthday, Mr. Potato Head is awarded his own official AARP card.

2002. The Rhode Island Legislature gave the approval to feature Mr. Potato Head on a state auto license plate in order to raise money for charity.

2005. Mr. Potato Head became the national “spokesspud” for the United States Potato Board.

2010. Mr. Potato Head appeared in Toy Story 3.

2011 Hasbro unveils a new, noticeably thinner Mr. Potato Head at the 2011 International Toy Fair convention in New York City.

Vintage Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Commercial

 

Toy Story 2 Bloopers with

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head

Resources.

Hasbro, Inc. is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of toys, games and other family entertainment. Hasbro is the manufacturer of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. Hasbro has a long tradition of supporting children worldwide through a variety of philanthropic programs.  Their mission is to assist children in triumphing over their life obstacles and to bring the joy of play into their lives.  Visit Hasbro Community Relations to learn about the many programs Hasbro supports.

Santa's List of Healthy Resources for Children and Families

Santa's List of Healthy Resources  for Children and Families
President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN). PCFSN engages, educates, and empowers all Americans to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition. Since 1956, the Council has created and promoted programs and initiatives that motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to be active and eat healthy.
	Choose MyPlate.  The website features practical information and tips to help Americans build healthier diets.
	Kids Eat Right is your source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information you can trust to help your child grow healthy. As a parent or caretaker, you need reliable resources, and you can find them here, backed by the expertise of nutrition professionals.
	Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is your source for trustworthy, science-based food and nutrition information. The world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, AND is committed to improving the nation's health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education, and advocacy.
	When you donate to Feeding America, you are doing more than helping provide meals. You are sending hope and joy to hard-working families struggling with the difficult decision of whether to pay the bills or pay for groceries.
	Action for Healthy Kids believes there are ways to reduce and prevent childhood obesity and undernourishment. Learn how Action for Healthy Kids works with schools, families, and communities to help our kids learn to be healthier and ready to learn.
	Healthy Children  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety, and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. Healthy Children - Nutrition; Food Allergies in Children
	Team Nutrition: Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Materials. A campaign launched by USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to encourage and teach children, parents, and caregivers to eat healthy and be physically active every day. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ is about making America's children healthier. It's about practical suggestions that will help you motivate children and their caregivers to eat healthy and be active. Eat Smart. Play Hard.™ Campaign messages and materials are fun for children and informative for caregivers. Building Blocks for Fun and Healthy Meals; Fact Sheets For Healthier School Meals
	We Can. The We Can! GO, SLOW, and WHOA Foods fact sheets (pdf) can be posted on the refrigerator or used when grocery shopping. The We Can! Parent Tips - Snack (pdf) 100 Calories or Less tip sheet can help consumers choose vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat (1 percent) milk for healthier snacks.
	Fruits and Veggies More Matters
	National Dairy Council® (NDC);  Child Nutrition; Fuel Up sponsored by National Dairy Council and the National Football League, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up is an in-school program that encourages the availability and consumption of nutrient-rich foods, along with at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
	The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally-assisted meal program in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It provides children nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or free lunches each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
	The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides cash assistance to States to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The program is administered at the Federal level by FNS. State education agencies administer the SBP at the State level, and local school food authorities operate it in schools.