The wellbeing of children and their special protection are at the heart of all our religious traditions. Accordingly, countless faith-based organisations provide services to children in need — from tending to the sick, sheltering the homeless, and educating the minorities, to protecting children from abuse, exploitation and violence.

Often religious organizations reach children in the most deprived communities where most government and secular services do not reach. Religions are thus close to the people, but their great potential to protect the rights and promote the well-being of children has yet to be realized fully.

To harness this great potential, it is proposed to observe A World Day of Prayer and Action for Children every year coinciding with Universal Children’s Day on the 20th of November, which is also the anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

On that day, all over the world, in every community, and in all places of worship, prayer services will be held on a common theme that relates to the wellbeing of children and protection of their rights.

To accompany the prayers, one or two common but specific, tangible and measurable actions for the survival, development and protection of children will be carried out, nation-wide or region-wide, in all places of worship or in their vicinity. Depending on local circumstances, such prayers and action may be held by particular religious denominations, as well as by interfaith groups, as appropriate.

Specific activities could include, for example, immunizing children against infectious diseases; promoting sanitation; combating HIV/AIDS; educating parents on the importance of breast feeding; promoting birth registration; campaigns against certain harmful traditional practices; raising awareness of child rights; addressing climate change; action to promote girls’ education, peace education, ethics education, etc.

The themes for prayer and action selected each year will be worthy of universal respect, and not be partisan, political or divisive. Internationally agreed human development goals for children, such as the Millennium Development Goals, could be the main focus of such action.

To carry out the actions in an effective and meaningful manner, religious communities will work closely with national and local governments, non-governmental organizations and relevant international organizations, such as UNICEF and other agencies of the United Nations system.

A World Day of Prayer and Action for Children is, therefore, a day of solidarity among religious and secular organizations united by their common aspiration and shared vision of a world in which all our children will grow up to their full human potential, with their rights to safety, security, integrity and dignity honoured in all societies. It could potentially make an enormous difference in the lives of children, and would send a powerful signal to the whole world that religions can be a unifying force for promoting the rights and wellbeing of children.