As today (14th March) marks Commonwealth Day, we are proud to announce that CFAB is one of the founders of a new Commonwealth Children’s Interest Group. Both our CEO Carolyn Housman and Trustee David Jones are among the conveners of this group, with CFAB acting as Secretariat. The inaugural meeting of the group occurred on the 28th February, and we are pleased to inform you that we had interest from a wide range of Commonwealth organisations, including the Commonwealth Business Women’s Network (CBWN), Commonwealth Association for Health and Disability (COMHAD), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Rotary International.

With a large percentage of the Commonwealth population aged under-18, it has never been more vital to form a unifying position in the Commonwealth to consider the needs of children and to protect the many children of Commonwealth families who cross international borders. The Commonwealth is uniquely placed to protect children, due to its diversity and shared inheritance of language, culture and law, but also its concern for those in situations which make them vulnerable. It serves as a catalyst for new forms of friendship, co-operation and common action. Given that all Commonwealth countries are signatories to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, this group is an important step forward in upholding those rights.

This new group will be working to bring forward children’s rights and protections on the international Commonwealth stage, focusing on advocating for policies to improve children’s safety and wellbeing. It seeks to collaborate both within the Commonwealth, including High Commissioners, and with international organisations, such as the International Social Service, UNICEF and Plan International.

CFAB is looking forward to assisting the group and work in collaboration with other experts in the field of child protection to improve the welfare and safety of children and families across the world.

For further information, please contact Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB) at info@cfab.org.uk

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