Activities in favour of the rights of the child

The rights of the child are human rights that apply to all persons under 18 years of age. Finland is committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Tampere is also active in promoting the rights of the child.

Children’s Rights Day is celebrated annually on 20 November. It is accompanied by an action-filled Children’s Rights Week, with the aim of raising awareness of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its implementation. Tampere has traditionally celebrated this themed week.

What are the rights of the child?

The rights of the child are defined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It states that every child has the right to equality, safety, health and education. These rights are based on four general principles:

The child must not be discriminated against.
The best interests of the child must be taken into consideration.
The child has the right to survival and development.
The child's point of view must be respected.

Read the Summary of the Convention on Rights of the Child on the UNICEF website.

Towards a more child-friendly Tampere

The rights of the child must be observed both in everyday life and in exceptional circumstances. Through its actions, the City of Tampere wants to strengthen the position of all children. The rights of children in Tampere are promoted in many ways, so that every child has a good life at home, during leisure time, in daycare centres and at school.

The aim of the ‘Tampere Junior’ development programme is to reduce the disparities in wellbeing between children, young people and families with children in Tampere, in which child-friendliness and children’s rights are promoted in many ways. The city is also committed to acting in accordance with the UNICEF child-friendly municipality model. Tampere received the UNICEF Child Friendly City award in June 2024.

In Tampere, there is an Ombudsman for children, whose work is based on the rights of the child. Her tasks include promoting the inclusion of children as well as drafting, monitoring and evaluating the Welfare Plan for children and young people of Tampere, together with other experts.

The Ombudsman for children does not process individual cases. For questions concerning such individual cases, you can, for instance, turn to the Regional State Administrative Agency, the Parliamentary Ombudsman, the Social Ombudsman or the Patient Ombudsman.

Tampere Welfare Plan for children and young people

Most children, young people and their families in Tampere are doing well. Many, however, face challenges related to social relationships, safety, lifestyle, mental well-being and parenting. Solutions to these issues have been addressed in the Welfare Plan for the children and young people of Tampere.