Most countries observe Mother's Day and Father's Day to celebrate all parents, and some countries have a combined Parents' Day. In order to support this tradition and honour parents throughout the world, the UN General Assembly proclaimed Global Day of Parents to appreciate all parents for their selfless commitment to children.
In every culture and society, parents are primary caregivers of children responsible for the nurturing and protection of their offspring. Development of a child's personality heavily depends on his or her parents' ability to create a safe and at the same time challenging environment. Global Day of Parents focuses on raising awareness of the important role parents play in bringing up children and therefore in the development of local communities and societies in general.
Interestingly, Global Day of Parents coincides with International Day for Protection of Children celebrated in some former and current communist and socialist states. However, Universal Children's Day established and promoted by the United Nations is held on November 20.
The origins of Parent's Day can be traced back to the 1930s. Starting in 1930, some Christian communities began to celebrate Mother's Day or Parents' Day.
On 20 November 1959 the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 1989.
In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals outlined by world leaders in order to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015. Albeit this applies to all people, the main objective is with regard to children.
UNICEF is dedicated to meeting the six of eight goals that apply to the needs of children so that they are all entitled to basic rights written in the 1989 international human rights treaty. UNICEF delivers vaccines, works with policymakers for good health care and education and works exclusively to help children and protect their rights.
In September 2012, the former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon of the United Nations led the initiative for the education of children. He firstly wants every child to be able to attend school, a goal by 2015. Secondly, to improve the skills acquired in these schools. Finally, implementing policies regarding education to promote peace, respect and environmental concern.
Universal Children's Day is not just a day to celebrate children for who they are, but to bring awareness to children around the globe that have experienced violence in forms of abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Children are used as labourers in some countries, immersed in armed conflict, living on the streets, suffering by differences be it religion, minority issues, or disabilities. Children feeling the effects of war can be displaced because of the armed conflict and/or suffer physical and psychological trauma.
The following violations are described in the term "children and armed conflict": recruitment and child soldiers, killing/maiming of children, abduction of children, attacks on schools/hospitals and not allowing humanitarian access to children. Currently there are about 153 million children between the ages of 5 and 14 who are forced into child labour.
The International Labour Organisation in 1999 adopted the Prohibition and Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour including slavery, child prostitution and child pornography.
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