Save the children

The Save the Children Fund, generally known as Save the Children, is a global non-governmental organization that endorses children's rights, offers relief and helps and support children in developing countries. It was founded in the United Kingdom in 1919 to improve the children's lives through better health care, education, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts.

There are 29 other nation-based Save the Children organizations who are members of Save the Children International in addition to the organization based on UK, an international network of nonprofit organizations supporting local partners in over 120 countries around the world.

Save the Children endorses policy changes in order to expand more rights for young people particularly by imposing the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child. Coalition members harmonize emergency-relief efforts, helps to protect children from the effects of war and violence. Save the Children has wide-range consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

The Save the Children Fund was established on 15 April 1919, in London, England, by Eglantyne Jebb and her sister Dorothy Buxton as an effort to lessen starvation of children in Germany and Austria-Hungary during the Allied blockade of Germany of World War I which continued after the peace agreement. 

Declaration of the Rights of the Child

In 1923, Jebb wrote: "I believe we should claim certain rights for the children and labor for their worldwide recognition, so that everybody--not merely the small number of people who are in a position to contribute to relief funds, but everybody who in any way comes into contact with children, that is to say the vast majority of mankind--may be in a position to help forward the movement."

In 1923, Jebb created a first draft which had become the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child. It contained the following five criterions:

1. The child must be given the means requisite for its normal development, both materially and spiritually.
2. The child that is hungry must be fed, the child that is sick must be nursed, the child that is backward must be helped, the delinquent child must be reclaimed, and the orphan and the waif must be sheltered and succored.
3. The child must be the first to receive relief in times of distress.
4. The child must be put in a position to earn a livelihood, and must be protected against every form of exploitation.
5. The child must be brought up in the consciousness that its talents must be devoted to the service of its fellow men.

These five points were accepted by the alliance of Nations in 1924 and was known as the Declaration of Geneva. This was the primary important declaration of the rights of children as separate from adults, and began the procedure that would escort to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, accepted by the United Nations in 1989. 

Convention on the Rights of the Child

In November 1959, the UN General Assembly changed Jebb's original criteria in order to produce the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. This contained ten non-binding principles for nations to pursue in order to work in the best interests of the child. Though, this 1959 declaration was not legally binding and was only a declaration of general principles and intent. In 1989, however, it was accepted by the UN General Assembly. the same declaration  became international law on 2 September 1990.

The Convention contains 54 articles which tackle the basic human rights that all children are entitled to: the right to survival; development to the fullest; protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and full participation in family, cultural and social life. The four core principles of the convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child.

Today, the Convention provides as the foundation for all of Save the Children's work. It has been marked into law in nearly every country around the world, except South Sudan and the United States. 

Structure and accountability

Save the Children is a worldwide organization, with 30 nationalized organizations serving over 120 countries.

All members of the coalition are bound by the International Save the Children pact Bylaws which includes The Child Protection Protocol and Code of Conduct. These are set a standard for common values, principles, and beliefs.

The Save the Children website declares that the member organizations work towards getting four key initiatives:

1. Secure quality education for 8 million children affected by armed conflict.
2. Expand and improve our presence in countries of strategic importance.
3. Create a stronger voice for children where more than one Member has program by integrating country operations.
4. Become the emergency response agency for children worldwide by improving disaster preparedness and response capacity so that we can best deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children

Connections with other organizations

Save the Children helps to fund, and is provided with funds raised by, the national will-making scheme Will aid, in which participating solicitors give up their usual fee to write a basic will and in exchange request the client to donate to charity. Save the Children team ups with other NGOs in Family Tracing and Reunification.