1.3 A global framework for child safety

A global framework for child safety

Safeguarding is a universal principle, though the laws and systems differ between countries. The foundation for global child protection is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), adopted by almost every country in the world.

The UNCRC establishes that every child has the right to:

• Life, survival, and development.
• Protection from violence, abuse, and neglect.
• An education in an environment that respects their dignity and wellbeing.
• Be heard, and have their views considered in matters affecting them.

Local application

Safeguarding frameworks exist in most countries – though the laws, reporting structures, and terminology differ, the goal remains the same: to protect children and promote their wellbeing.

By way of a few examples;

• In England and Wales, safeguarding is underpinned by the Children Act 1989 and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).
• In Australia, it aligns with Child Safe Standards.
• In India, The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 provides legal protection.
• In the United States, child protection law varies by state but shares the same principles of reporting and prevention.
• In Malaysia, The Child Act 2001 and national child-protection hotlines apply.

🌍 Wherever you teach, you are expected to understand and follow your country’s child-protection legislation and reporting routes.