Save the Children, Sweden

The basis of Save the Children Sweden's work is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the United Nations' Declaration on Human Rights. We exert an influence on decision makers - from local authorities to the United Nations - to see to the best interests of the child. We arouse public opinion and spread knowledge about children's needs and rights and we exert an influence on legislation for the benefit of children. We support those children whose rights have been violated most. Save the Children Sweden works both nationally and internationally, with its own work and in cooperation with other organisations. We support national projects and make use of people's own will to improve their situation. Save the Children Sweden supports projects in Sweden and in the eight regions around the world where we work.

In November 2005, theEurope Programme was established and functions as a regional office for Europe, placed at the headquarters in Stockholm. Save the Children Sweden works to end violence and abuse towards children, with particular focus on sexual abuse, child pornography, corporal punishment and physical assault. The Europe Programme works toward a European ban on corporal punishments in the family, in school and in governmental institutions. Save the Children Sweden works for the fulfilment of rights for all asylum seeking and migrating children. We also work to increase the awareness about the risks leading to children being exposed to trafficking, as well as making sure that international treaties are used to stop children from being exploited in this way. Child victims of such traumatic events furthermore have the right to rehabilitation and reintegration. Save the Children Sweden works for children in institutions to guarantee their rights to education, care and reintegration in society. Despite great achievements in Europe, a large number of children are still denied their right to basic education. Save the Children Sweden particularly focus on the following areas in the work for all children's rights to education: a) counteracting discrimination that hinders children's right to education, b) increasing children's participation in school, c) ending corporal punishments and bullying in school, and d) ensuring that more children learn about their rights in school.

Save the Children Sweden works with child participation to enhance the image of the child as a competent, active, thinking and conscious human being, living in interaction with the surrounding world. A child is not just shaped by its environment, but also actively shapes the world in his/her turn. Each child has its own experiences and its own ways to interpret and understand the world. In dialogues between children and adults, tools have to be given to the children so that they can change their lives at home, in school and in society.

All countries reports every fifth year to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child about the situation of children's rights within their country. Save the Children Sweden's Europe Programme supports partner organisations in their writing of alternative reports on children's rights. We also assist in the monitoring of the concluding observations and recommendations given by the Committee, to ensure that these are used to improve the situation of children's rights. We conduct advocacy and lobbying activities to strengthen children's rights in Europe and within the EU, in close cooperation with Save the Children's Alliance offices in Geneva and Brussels. Lastly, Save the Children Sweden's Europe Programme supports our European partner organisation through capacity building in the field of children's rights as well as of the administrative support systems. Through enhanced cooperation with European partner organisations working with children's rights we increase our joint knowledge base as well as possibility to conduct efficient advocacy and lobbying work on children's rights.

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