STOCKHOLM, 11 April 2018

The Children’s Rights and Business Atlas, developed by UNICEF and the Global Child Forum, will be showcased at the 10^th Global Child Forum in Sweden. 

UNICEF and the Global Child Forum today showcase the 2018 Children’s Rights and Business Atlas, a digital tool allowing businesses to identify the potential impacts – and explore the opportunities – that their practices and policies have on children’s lives globally.

“Children are fundamental to the future of businesses – as future leaders, customers, investors and employees,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ms Fatoumata Ndiaye. “With the Global Child Forum, we call on businesses to respect children’s rights and find bold solutions to any potential adverse impacts. This is a win-win for both business and children.”

Children interact daily with the private sector – as family members of workers, employees, consumers, and community members affected by operations and supply chains. The online tool is designed to help transform this interaction and help businesses, investors and industry organizations understand how their actions impact children’s rights globally.  It enables businesses to go beyond the most widely known form of risk – child labour – covering broader issues including wages, work hours, products, environmental impact, security, and online protection policies.

“Businesses are instrumental to the global mission of advancing children’s lives. As crucial stakeholders for businesses, children’s voices, wellbeing and future health should be of prime concern to long-term successful business strategies. Together with UNICEF, we want to encourage businesses to empower children to thrive and achieve their full potential,” said Global Child Forum’s Managing Director, Ulrika Nilsson.

The Atlas is an interactive platform and features indices, global interactive maps, country analysis and data, and industry spotlights to allow companies to better understand their impacts in the workplace, marketplace, community and environment.

The Atlas methodology aligns with human rights due diligence processes identified in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBPs).