In honor of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989, World Children’s Day is celebrated annually on November 20th. The Republic of Croatia marked this occasion by lighting up their government building, Banski dvori, in blue. This symbolic gesture emphasized the importance of safeguarding and promoting children’s rights.

The announcement made by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković reiterated the government’s priority to ensure equal opportunities for every child in education, health, and social systems. This international document, adopted by the United Nations, sets forth universal standards that countries must fulfill for every child. The Convention on the Rights of the Child has been signed by a total of 196 countries, making it one of the most rapidly and widely embraced agreements in human rights history.

The Convention represents a promise by the world to guarantee equal rights for all children and to take all necessary measures to protect their rights to survive, develop, learn and reach their full potential without discrimination. It serves as a reminder that every child deserves respect, dignity and protection regardless of where they are born or where they live.