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It is impossible to ignore the significant, often widespread impacts that business has on children around the world. Indeed, as children’s rights have advanced, so, too, have the size and influence of the private sector. With this in mind, the Unit ed Nations has taken steps to formally recognize the corporate obligation to respect human rights across all business activities, operations and rela tionships. We must now also acknowledge that business plays an increasingly important role in realizing children’s rights. In 2012, Save the Children, UNICEF and the UN Global Compact were proud to launch the Chil dren’s Rights and Business Principles. The Prin ciples provide a means for businesses to better understand, appreciate and address the ways in which they touch children’s lives. They not only clarify business’s responsibility to respect chil dren’s rights, but also call on business to actively make commitments to support children’s rights. In many ways, however, the Principles are simply a beginning. To some, they are only as valuable as the changes they bring about, and it is clear that much remains to be done. Businesses will need guidance and monitoring to fully appreciate their actual and potential impacts on children’s rights, just as children and communities must be empow ered to advocate for stronger and more effective protection. Save the Children believes that civil society is ideally positioned to fulfill these tasks. Civil society organizations can serve as the missing link between business and children’s rights, and the Principles are an essential tool in directing these efforts. Accordingly, in this Guide, we seek to explore and expand upon the possibilities for civil society organizations to use the Principles in engaging with business on matters related to children’s rights. We have a deep appreciation for civil socie ty organizations as unwavering champions for children’s rights, and this Guide continues a long tradition of Save the Children’s support for our peers and partners in the field. I sincerely hope that this Guide helps and inspires civil society organizations in every country to consider their role in improving corporate respect and support for children’s rights.

How to use the Children’s Rights and Business Principles: A Guide for Civil Society Organizations

Resource Key: WSVZP2L8

Document Type: Report

Creator:

Author:

  • Patrick Geary

Creators Name: {mb_resource_zotero_creatorsname}

Place: Stockholm

Institution: Save the Children Sweden

Date: 2013

Language:

It is impossible to ignore the significant, often widespread impacts that business has on children around the world. Indeed, as children’s rights have advanced, so, too, have the size and influence of the private sector. With this in mind, the Unit ed Nations has taken steps to formally recognize the corporate obligation to respect human rights across all business activities, operations and rela tionships. We must now also acknowledge that business plays an increasingly important role in realizing children’s rights. In 2012, Save the Children, UNICEF and the UN Global Compact were proud to launch the Chil dren’s Rights and Business Principles. The Prin ciples provide a means for businesses to better understand, appreciate and address the ways in which they touch children’s lives. They not only clarify business’s responsibility to respect chil dren’s rights, but also call on business to actively make commitments to support children’s rights. In many ways, however, the Principles are simply a beginning. To some, they are only as valuable as the changes they bring about, and it is clear that much remains to be done. Businesses will need guidance and monitoring to fully appreciate their actual and potential impacts on children’s rights, just as children and communities must be empow ered to advocate for stronger and more effective protection. Save the Children believes that civil society is ideally positioned to fulfill these tasks. Civil society organizations can serve as the missing link between business and children’s rights, and the Principles are an essential tool in directing these efforts. Accordingly, in this Guide, we seek to explore and expand upon the possibilities for civil society organizations to use the Principles in engaging with business on matters related to children’s rights. We have a deep appreciation for civil socie ty organizations as unwavering champions for children’s rights, and this Guide continues a long tradition of Save the Children’s support for our peers and partners in the field. I sincerely hope that this Guide helps and inspires civil society organizations in every country to consider their role in improving corporate respect and support for children’s rights.

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