Celebrating 25 Years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Cook Islands

Girls and boys during their water break with
UNICEF Pacific’s Deputy Representative, Isabelle Austin.
©UNICEF Pacificy/2012/Olul

Twenty-five years ago the world made a promise to children; promising that we would do everything in our power to protect and promote their rights to survive and thrive, to learn and grow, to make their voices heard and to reach their full potential. This promise was called the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and in 2014 we spent the year celebrating its 25th birthday by working with children and communities to highlight the rights that it promised for children, and supporting children to enjoy them. These are just some of the ways that we celebrated the anniversary in the Pacific: 

A right to play: 

For the love of Tennis

Daisy/Naomi on the tennis court. 

© UNICEF Pacific/2014/Alcock

Daisy is 13 years old. Her tennis coach Francis Bryard describes her as an exceptionally polite girl who is a fighter at heart. She lost her father when she was four years old. As a little child, extremely attached to her father, she had a hard time getting over his death. Her mother pulled her through the most difficult period of both their lives. Daisy says getting over that tough phase made her the fighter that she is today. She is a girl of many words - eloquent in speaking and loves reading. She says she has little interest in sport with the exception of tennis.

What is happiness?

A proud happy country. UNICEF Pacific./2014/Thakkar

Pharrell Williams took the world by storm with his ‘Happy’ song. It went viral within days with people around the world making their own video, dancing and clapping along with the tune.