Since 2000, nearly 50 million children have participated in the annual WCP Program the world’s largest annual education initiative that educates and empowers children to be changemakers who can stand up for the equal value of all people, the Rights of the Child, democracy and sustainable development. Most of these children live in poor and fragile states and many are finding out for the first time that they have rights and can make their voices heard.

WCP Child Rights Ambassadors

Many of the participating children become WCP Child Rights Ambassadors who in turn educate and empower other children as well as parents, siblings, teachers, and local leaders on Child Rights, in particular girls’ rights, and the Global Goals.

Child Rights Heroes inspire

Annually, a number of Child Rights Heroes are nominated for the World’s Children’s Prize, dubbed the ‘children’s Nobel Prize’ by media worldwide. The final candidates are selected by the WCP International Child Jury. The heroes’ life stories and the stories of the children they fight for are shared online and in the WCP educational magazine, the Globe. In so-called Global friend schools around the world, and with the support from teachers, children also learn about and discuss Child Rights, democracy, and the Global Goals.

After learning about the work and impact of the Child Rights Heroes, millions of children take part in an annual Global Vote. They organize their own democratic election days in their schools with all that goes with it, from election booths to ballot boxes and election observers. Together the children choose the recipient of the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child. So far, the largest number of voting children in one year was 7.1 million.

Global Patrons

Patrons of the World’s Children’s Prize include Malala Yousafzai, the late Nelson Mandela, Graça Machel, Desmond Tutu, Sweden’s Queen Silvia and Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. Learn more about our Patrons.

Broad support

The WCP Program is run by the Swedish non-profit the World’s Children’s Prize Foundation (WCPF), and is supported by 74,000 schools in 119 countries, as well as the Swedish Ministry of Education and 800+ organizations.
   The Program is funded by bodies such as the Swedish Postcode Lottery, Sida, ForumCiv, Julia & Hans Rausing Trust, H.M. Queen Silvia’s Care About the Children Foundation, and Survé Philanthropies. Learn more about our partners.

Creating a generation of changemakers

The millions of children who are empowered through the WCP become changemakers and can stand up for their rights and the rights of others now and throughout their lives. They can make a difference where they live, in their country and the world. Learn more about the Program and how you can participate here.