Municipalities and regions are calling for better support in their efforts to uphold children’s rights. A new report by Forum for Social Innovation Sweden a digital knowledge platform to gather and disseminate innovative solutions that can strengthen children’s rights throughout the country.
A new report from Forum for Social Innovation Sweden at Malmö University shows that there is a significant need for a national digital platform to compile examples of innovations in children’s rights. The platform could serve as a knowledge resource for children’s rights strategists, policymakers, and organizations in municipalities and regions.
The report is based on a preliminary study conducted in collaboration with the County Administrative Boards’ national initiative on children’s rights, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SKR), and the Children’s Ombudsman. It shows that 72 percent of the country’s children’s rights strategists feel they lack practical examples and guidance for strengthening children’s rights in their work.
The need for greater knowledge and the exchange of experiences
Child rights strategists play a key role in ensuring that municipalities and regions comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child. According to the report, there is currently no single platform where they can access and share experiences on how to put child rights work into practice.
“Many municipalities and regions face similar challenges. A digital platform could facilitate the exchange of experiences and contribute to a more consistent application of children’s rights throughout the country,” says Sophie Gestranius, National Coordinator at the County Administrative Boards.
The platform is proposed to include verified examples of how child rights innovations are applied within or in collaboration with various sectors, such as schools, social services, and health care. By highlighting successful approaches, it can help inspire more stakeholders to adopt similar methods.
“The three examples highlighted in the report— Game Camp, Rätt på riktigt—skolan ska funka för alla, and Youth Up North —are all initiatives that address challenges we face throughout Sweden. By learning from and replicating these examples, more children’s right to education and participation in society would be strengthened, says Gloria-Karin López, project manager at Forum for Social Innovation Sweden, who authored the report and led the preliminary study.
Long-term management and updates are crucial
For the platform to be an effective tool, a long-term management structure is required. Previous experience with similar initiatives shows that continuous updating is a key factor. The report recommends that the platform be integrated into an existing operation with a clear mandate and responsibilities. It should also be easily accessible and have a user-friendly structure to facilitate searching and filtering of examples.
Next step
The report was commissioned by the County Administrative Boards and can now serve as a basis for further decisions regarding the development of a national platform. Municipalities, regions, and government agencies are encouraged to share their needs and perspectives to ensure that the platform becomes a relevant and useful tool in the work to promote children’s rights.