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.
• Help all children to have a birth certificate.

Child Participation: churches will try 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.

• In church activities and planning for services and praying
• In society

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

• In church activities
• In society

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. Our initiative is rooted in the belief that faith communities have a unique and powerful role to play in promoting intergenerational climate justice and ensuring 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 stop the expansion of fossil fuels and promote a transition to sustainable, renewable energy sources.

Our mission is to mobilize and empower faith communities and partners to use legal tools and advocacy to achieve climate justice. We believe that faith-based organizations have a moral duty to protect the earth and its people, especially the most vulnerable. Through education, capacity-building, and litigation, we strive to:

• Hold financial institutions accountable for their responsibility in the climate emergency,
• Ensure intergenerational justice by safeguarding the rights and well-being of future
  generations,
• Foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders to amplify our impact,
• Challenge climate disinformation and promote transparency and ethical financial practices.
   

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.