Child Rights

Every child should have quality healthcare, a good education, and a safe home and community. But the United States lags behind other nations in protecting these basic rights. America has one of the highest infant mortality rates among developed nations, and the United States leads the world in violence against children and child poverty. Child farmworkers in the U.S. also continue to work in dangerous conditions at very young ages, and the United States is also one of the only nations that has failed to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. First Focus is working to educate policymakers about the need for reforms that protect the basic rights of every child in America.
Resources
Protecting our Students – A Conversation with Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani
Event June 12, 2023 |
Jun 12 2023 Ended Protecting our Students – A Conversation with Florida State Rep. Anna Eskamani Across the country, challenges to our public schools …
What Does the IPCC Report Mean for Our Children?
Abbie Malloy | April 11, 2023 |
For children around the world, the situation is already dire. Children are not just small adults – their behaviors and physiology mean that they’re more susceptible to nearly every adverse effect of the climate crisis.
Recognizing Children in the Debate Over Education and Schools
Bruce Lesley, First Focus Campaign for Children | March 31, 2023 |
As a child advocate, it is deeply frustrating to people in our community that issues of great importance to children, such as education, are …
While Many Politicians Are Focused on Book Bans, Kids Are Dying
Bruce Lesley, First Focus Campaign for Children | March 30, 2023 |
Education is a children’s issue. Unfortunately, far too often, lawmakers ignore the needs, concerns, and best interests of children when making policy on education …
Testimony: House Judiciary Committee Hearing on “Free Speech: The Biden Administration’s Chilling of Parents’ Fundamental Rights”
Bruce Lesley | March 22, 2023 |
Today, First Focus on Children submitted the following statement for the record to members of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government. Excerpt …
Title 42 “is not an immigration policy,” advocate says
Michele Kayal | December 21, 2022 |
Courts, Congress and Biden Administration must uphold U.S. tradition of welcome In response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s continuation of the pandemic border restrictions known as …
Fighting Education Inequity: Young People are Critical to Transforming Education
| September 2, 2022 |
The following is a Guest Post by:Anny Lin (Youth & Student Fellow at Global Campaign for Education-US. alin@gce-us.org), Emily Davis (Research Associate for the …
Fact Sheet: The “Best Interests of the Child” Standard
Miriam Abaya (Former Staff) | August 2, 2022 |
What is the “Best Interests of the Child” standard? The “best interests of the child” is a principle to ensure government policies safeguard the …
Issue Brief: The Case for a Cross-Agency Priority (CAP) on Child Well-being
Miriam Abaya (Former Staff) | August 2, 2022 |
THE CHALLENGE The American people expect government policy to advance the best interests of children. Yet, the data shows that U.S. policy lacks the high-level …
Statement: “Truth-telling” is first step to justice for children in treatment centers
Michele Kayal | July 27, 2022 |
In response to the investigation of children’s treatment centers launched by Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), First Focus on Children President …