2nd Children’s Rights Award 2024: “I want justice NOW!”
The DCI 45th Anniversary’s Edition of the Children’s Rights Award, held on 17 December 2024 on the occasion of the Global Conference on Justice for Children Deprived of Liberty, showcased the incredible talent of young activists from diverse countries, including Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Ghana, Mauritania, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Yemen, and Guinea. This year’s theme, “I want justice NOW!”, inspired powerful and thought-provoking entries across two main categories.
The Jury met virtually on 18 October 2024, it was composed of the following members:
• Mr Philip JAFFÉ, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (President of the International Jury)
• Ms Marie-Luce STORME, photographer and filmmaker
• Mr Jamil KHAN, artist painter from Afghanistan living in Greece
• Ms Meriam EL BOUZEKRI EL IDRISSI, child from DCI-Belgium
• Ms Anne GRANDJEAN, UNICEF, Human Rights Specialist
• Mr Nigel CANTWELL, founder of DCI and international consultant on child protection
• Mr Alex KAMAROTOS, DCI Executive Director
The competition had gone through two rounds: A national round and an international round. The International Jury met to choose the final winners for each category.
• Children from ten countries in Africa and the Middle East participated in the 2024 Award.
• Six artworks had been received for Category A – from Ghana, Lebanon, Mauritania, Palestine, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia.
• Nine artworks had been received for Category B – from Egypt, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Lebanon, Mauritania, Palestine, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, and Yemen.
Award Categories
Category A: Storytelling through Digital Artwork
This category features photography, video clips, and other forms of digital creation. Notable winners include:
• 1st place: Blessing, 17, from Sierra Leone – A children’s rights activist and talented speaker who uses creative means to advocate for change.
• 2nd place: Alaa, 17, Alaa, 16, and Nour, 17, from Tunisia – Alaa, 17, known for her poetic eloquence and activism in civil society. Alaa, 16, a talented writer, won first prize in the Arab world for short story writing for visual media. Nour, 17, skilled in multiple styles of fine art, including graphic design, digital and paper drawing.
• 3rd place: Moan, 15, from Palestine – A young boy with a disability who highlighted the challenges of accessing education in a refugee camp.
Category B: Storytelling through Non-Digital Artwork
This category includes paintings, drawings, comics, and other non-digital forms. Standout entries are:
• 1st place: Ra’ad, 15, from Jordan – A self-taught artist whose work depicts the reality of children deprived of their rights in conflict zones.
• 2nd place: Moussa, 16, from Mauritania – Created a unique three-dimensional piece using recycled materials.
• 3rd place: Sahara, 15, from Palestine – Her artwork focused on the injustice and oppression faced by children worldwide.
The prize for the first two winners of the international round (category A and category B) was a full sponsorship to travel to Geneva from 16 to 20 December 2024 to attend the Global Conference on Justice for Children Deprived of Liberty, where the Award ceremony took place on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of DCI, the 35th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 5th anniversary of the presentation of the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty to the UN General Assembly (October 2019). On the same occasion, an exhibition was inaugurated on 17 December with all 15 creations of the young child rights activists, with the generous support of the Lotterie Romande.
Importance of the Award
This Children’s Rights Award serves as a powerful platform for young voices to express their concerns, hopes, and demands for a just world. It highlights the creativity of youth activists while drawing attention to pressing issues affecting children globally.
You can see their creations, as well as those of the other participants, and read the detailed document here to learn more about them and their stories.
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