Churches’ Commitments to Children

The World Council of Churches advocates for children's well-being through a variety of projects at local, national and global levels. Churches have a unique position to influence society, from parents and school teachers to decision makers in public and private sectors. WCC is actively supporting through global initiatives the engagement of churches worldwide in:

Child Protection: Make sure that children feel safe in their churches, homes and communities and that children know whom to go to for help if they have a problem. Support churches in their efforts to protect children in dangerous situations, and help all children to have a birth certificate.

Child Participation: Churches aim to make decisions together with children when such decisions have something to do with children's lives. They also will plan activities for children together with children.

Climate Justice Initiatives with and for Children: Churches organize activities with children to protect our planet.

The WCC convenes its members and partners to promote the rights of children through the "Churches’ Commitments to Children".

The programme was developed with support from UNICEF and promotes engagement of churches to end violence against children, strengthening collaboration with secular partners.

In 2017, after an 18 month consultative process involving 235 experts, a consensus was reached among WCC member churches on the question “How can churches best use their influence to improve children’s lives”. An agreement was reached on three core commitments: 1. Child Protection, 2. Child Participation, 3. Inter-generational Climate Justice.

Cover letter by the WCC general secretary

List of contributors

As a global fellowship representing over 580 million people in more than 120 countries, WCC has a long-standing commitment to justice, peace, and care for creation. The Climate Litigation Project seeks to leverage this extensive network to hold financial institutions accountable for their responsibility in the climate emergency and to advocate for sustainable and ethical financial practices. The initiative is rooted in the belief that faith communities have a unique and powerful role to play in securing a sustainable future for all. 

The vision: We envision a world where financial institutions are stewards of creation, making climate-responsible decisions that prioritize the health of our planet and its inhabitants. By advocating for legal and systemic changes, we aim to redirect investments into sustainable sectors.

Our mission is to ensure intergenerational justice and safeguard the well-being of future generations. Through education, capacity-building, and litigation, we strive to:

• Hold financial institutions accountable for their responsibility in the climate emergency,
• Stop climate disinformation and promote transparency and ethical financial practices,
• Foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders to amplify impact.

If you would like to learn more about the Commitments and join efforts to improve child-wellbeing through churches - please contact us!

Mrs Frederique Seidel, Senior Advisor on Child Rights / Manager of global WCC-UNICEF Partnership
email: [email protected]
phone: +41 22 791 6320

Please do let us know if you would like to share your experience or tools with other churches.