• The text of the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990).

• Children's Human Rights, sponsored by Amnesty International: "Children are routinely denied the basic rights that most of us take for granted - the right to an education, to enjoy freedom of movement, to freedom from torture, to freedom from discrimination, and to protection from armed conflict and exploitation. Children's human rights are the blocks with which we build a human rights culture in societies and secure human rights for future generations. Children's Human Rights: The Future Starts Here, a publication issued on the 50th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, outlines Amnesty International's key concerns and recommendations."  This site has links to information about the United Nations' First Special Session on Children.  Amnesty International also sponsors an advocacy group for children called AI Kids.

• The Children's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch: This organization lobbies for children's human rights, including protection to children in armed conflict, protection from discrimination, protection from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, protection within the justice system, and protection from economic exploitation, in addition to many other fundamental protections.  The United States is one of only two countries in the world that have not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).  Somalia--a country without an internationally-recognized government--is the other. The Children's Rights Division has focused its efforts on United States practice in three areas that fall measurably short of standards included in the Convention on the Rights of the Child--conditions for children in the justice system, detention of children by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and the use of children as soldiers.

• Children's Rights: An Overview, part of Cornell's Online Legal Information Institute (LII): This site undertakes to pull together a broad array of primary law sources around specific topics or problem areas, such as children's rights. The pages also aim to provide some context for research in those primary materials by indicating the relative importance of Federal and state law, statutes, regulations and other sources on the particular topic.

• International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour: "The aim of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour is 'to work towards the progressive elimination of child labour by strengthening national capacities to address child labour problems, and by creating a worldwide movement to combat it.' The prime target groups for the Programme are bonded child laborers, children in hazardous working conditions, working girls, and children under the age of 12 who are working. From the Programme's home page, visitors can learn about the 60 countries that have currently signed up to support the organization's mission, download factsheets about child labor problems, and read the organization's latest progress report. The Online Newsroom contains a photo gallery, full- text versions of speeches and recent presentations given by IPEC officials, and information for journalists. Finally, interested persons will want to take a close look at several important reports published by the IPEC, including 'HIV/ AIDS and Child Labour in sub-Saharan Africa' and 'Eliminating Hazardous Child Labour Step by Step'" (Copyright 1994-2004 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu).
  
• The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers works to prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, to secure their demobilisation and to ensure their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
  
• The United Nations report on the "Impact of Armed Conflict on Children" includes information on child soldiers, refugee and displaced children, and the devastation of landmines.
  
• Beyond the Fire: Teen Experiences of War. The experience of war is traumatic for all persons who happen to be involved in such activities, whether they be soldiers, commanders, or civilians who are caught up in the ensuing maelstrom. This interactive site tells the story of teenagers involved in various conflicts around the globe, and is maintained by the good people at the Independent Lens Organization. Upon reaching the site's homepage, visitors will be enticed by the multimedia portraits of such teenagers, including Naima Margan in Somalia and Shaima Abdul in Afghanistan. After listening to their stories, visitors may elect to offer feedback on the program, or read transcripts of the participants' comments. The features that educators will appreciate include an interactive world map, conflict timelines, and facts about each country. The site is also rounded out by a fine selection of links to outside Web-based resources, such as the World Fact Book and the homepage of the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers (Copyright 1994-2004 Internet Scout Project - http://scout.wisc.edu).
  
• UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund) UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential.  UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.  UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal development imperatives that are integral to human progress.  UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children--victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation and those with disabilities.

Working with national governments, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), other United Nations agencies and private-sector partners, UNICEF protects children and their rights by providing services and supplies and by helping shape policy agendas and budgets in the best interests of children.

• UNICEF's Voices of Youth page provides an online forum for children and youth can discuss global issues: "We invite you to discuss with us how this world can become a place where the rights of every child are protected, that is, the right to live in peace, to have decent shelter, to be healthy and well-nourished, to have clean water, to play, to go to school, and to be protected from violence, abuse and exploitation."  Current topics include the UN's Special Session on Children, gender and HIV/AIDS, youth and media, and the sexual exploitation of children.

• The American Bar Association's Center on Children and the Law.

• Fields of Hope: a Web site for children about the 125,000,000 children (ages 5-14) worldwide who work as agriculture laborers, includes a guide for teachers.

• Publishing in Duluth, MN "produces media for every girl who wants her voice heard and her dreams taken seriously and for every adult who cares about girls.  Searching for strategies her daughters could use to stay strong in their transition from girls to women, founder Nancy Gruver began to study the research of Carol Gilligan and other women interested in female identity and development. This research shows that girls need resistance strategies to remain connected to what psychologist Emily Hancock calls 'the girl within.'  Nancy could not find any practical, accessible resources for her daughters or herself.  In June 1992, she decided the best solution was to create just such a resource for all girls who want their voices heard and their dreams taken seriously. The seed was planted and came to gestation nine months later with the inaugural issue of New Moon®: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams.  'The problem with most magazines for girls is that the images in those magazines tell girls what they should be,' Gruver says. 'New Moon is where girls tell the world who they are, without adults or advertisers as interpreters.' Other publications for girls portray a "perfect girl" for readers to measure themselves against. By contrast, New Moon challenges stereotypes by accepting girls as they are, listening to them, and celebrating their diverse experience and dreams.  Gruver and her husband, Joe Kelly, created New Moon as a place where girls and adults work hand-in-hand, as peers, to create a publication that gives girls a chance to explore themselves, their dreams and their ideas. Twenty girls, aged 8 to 14, worked for six months to develop the departments, themes and features of New Moon--a process which continues today with a 15-member Girls Editorial Board.   In 2000, New Moon® celebrated the first ever, 'We'll Show You Beauty Day' with the release of the May/June, Twenty-five Beautiful Girls issue of New Moon.  There was a press conference in New York City, a huge collage of beautiful people from all over the world, and a challenge to People Magazine's 'Beautiful People' issue.  This event, now called 'Turn Beauty Inside Out Day' is celebrated on the third Wednesday in May each year."

• Girls Incorporated is a national nonprofit youth organization "dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Girls Incorporated strives to meet the needs of girls in their communities; to help them overcome the effects of discrimination, to develop their capacities to be self-sufficient, responsible citizens, to serve as a vigorous advocate. Their site has areas aimed at girls, their parents, and educators. Of particular note is an area called research. Girls Incorporated develops research-based informal education programs, that encourage girls to take risks and master physical, intellectual and emotional challenges. Major programs address math and science education, pregnancy prevention, media literacy, adolescent health, substance abuse prevention and sports participation. Girls Inc. also sponsors a Web site for girls called Girls Central, which includes--among many activities and topics--discussions of body image, exercise, education, healthy eating, and planning for the future.

• The American Association of University Women's (AAUW) research on girls and education.

• A Web project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Tolerance.org encourages people from all walks of life to "fight hate and promote tolerance."  "We hope to awaken you to the problem of hate and intolerance, equip you with the best tolerance ideas and prompt you to act in your homes, schools, businesses and communities. People everywhere can find news, interactive maps of hate and human rights groups, tests for hidden bias and action guides for communities, workplaces, schools and homes.  Children are invited to Planet Tolerance, a safe and engaging place with storybooks about human rights, a worldwide mural painted and written by young people, and an interactive look at the multicultural roots of 'American English.'"

• Kids Can Free the Children describes themselves as a "unique international youth organization that empowers young people through representation, leadership and action. Over the past six years, Kids Can Free the Children has become the largest network of children helping children in the world with over 100,000 youth involved in more than 35 countries. Their web site will provide you with information about Kids Can Free the Children's work, projects and achievements; regular updates on their activities; resource pages and links for students, teachers and parents; and information on how you can become involved."

• MentoringProject.org offers advice and resouces for setting up mentoring programs for children.

• The International Children's Conference (ICC): This May 21 - 25, 2002 conference in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada was organized by a Board of Directors and a Planning Committee consisting of representatives of all level of government and industry in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Program. It will be a four-day event and will bring together 800 children, aged 10-12 years, from over 115 countries.  Children will have the opportunity to explore environmental issues, express views, and deepen their understanding of possible solutions. Throughout the conference, children will:

* formulate recommendations to world governments attending the World Summit on Sustainable Development, to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa in September 2002.
* lead the morning sessions
* present their environmental projects
* invite the audience to ask questions
* participate in the afternoon workshops, field trips and evening activities
* contribute to a large exhibition of worldwide environmental projects
* join a worldwide environmental network to promote positive action
* have FUN!