Created in a course at John Hopkins University

Children's needs and rights are interdependent to sustainable development. This is the central argument for a new report from UNICEF, "Sustainable Development Starts and Ends With Safe, Healthy, and Well-Educated Children," which makes the case for purposefully considering children in the post-2015 development agenda in which sustainable development is a core tenet. Divided into three parts, the report first provides the context: how and why children are central to the concept, principles and future progress of sustainable development, and why sustainable development is essential for children and their future. The second part conveys three key messages for those involved in deciding upon the Post-2015 Development agenda. Subsequently, the third and final part of the report provides supporting evidence and recommendations on how children's rights and well-being can be integrated within future development goals. The three key messages that the report highlights for decision-makers to actively consider are: 1. Sustainable Development starts with safe, healthy, and well-educated children 2. Safe and sustainable societies are, in turn, essential for children 3. Children's voices, choices, and participation are critical for the sustainable future we want. Sustainable development is an integrated approach that considers the complex societal, economic, environmental, and governance challenges that directly impact the lives of the world's children. According to the report, which is described as a "call to action," the Post-2015 Development Agenda is a unique opportunity to aspire to a world truly "fit for children."

Incorporating climate change and environmental education, including education on disaster-risk reduction, into a child-friendly education curriculum ensures the realization of children's environmental rights as enshrined in many articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

UNICEF Contributing to Sustainable Development, Equity and Children's Rights: Tree Planting, Ethiopia.........................................................................21 Rainforest Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction, Guyana..................... 26 Swimming Lessons for Emergencies, Bangladesh....................................31 Preparing for Natural Disasters, Philippines........................................... 33 Cyclone Proof Schools, Madagascar...................................................... 35 Skills-based Learning Materials and Packages, Nigeria............................ 44 Junior Ambassador Programme..................................................... 50 National and International Conference for Children and Youth, Brazil. 53 Children Advocating United4Climate, Zambia................................. 61 Voices of Youth............................................................................ 64

A beautiful photo story exploring the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - nice for primary classes.

​One of the first steps toward developing an internationalization strategy is to analyze the current state of internationalization and global engagement on your campus. This web tool will assist you in mapping internationalization at your institution and, to help you put this into perspective, will allow you to compare your efforts to those of your peer institutions using national averages.

Shoveller, Herb. Ryan and Jimmy and the Well in Africa that Brought Them Together. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd., 2006. Age Range: 8 and up It costs a lot of money to build a well in Africa -- a lot more than Ryan Hreljac had thought. Still, the six year old kept doing chores around his parents' house, even after he learned it could take him years to earn enough money. Then a friend of the family wrote an article in the local newspaper about Ryan's wish to build a well to supply people with safe, clean water. Before long, ripples of goodwill began spreading. People started sending money to help pay for Ryan's well. Ryan was interviewed on television. His dream of a well became an international news story. In Agweo, Uganda, villagers were used to walking a long way every day in search of water. What they found was often brown and smelly and made a lot of people sick. But when Ryan's well was built, life in the village changed for the better. A young orphan named Akana Jimmy longed for a chance to thank Ryan in person for this gift of life -- clean water. When they finally meet, an unbreakable bond unites these boys from very different backgrounds, and a long and sometimes life-threatening journey begins. Ryan and Jimmy is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens."

Winter, Jeannette. The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2005. "In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.'"* --Alia Muhammad Baker Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For fourteen years, her library has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with the thirty thousand books within it--will be destroyed forever. In a war-stricken country where civilians--especially women--have little power, this true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge know no boundaries."

Shea, Pegi Deitz, and Leane Morin. The Carpet Boy's Gift. Gardiner, ME: Tilbury House Publishers, 2006. Age Range: 6 and up Leadership comes easily for Nadeem, the biggest and oldest boy in a rug factory in Pakistan. But how can he lead the other child laborers to freedom after he's been shamed and beaten for his first attempt? Nadeem and his fellow workers are bonded laborers, children who work day and night to pay off loans their families have accepted from a factory owner. While Nadeem and his cousin Amina take pride in helping their poor families, they feel trapped. They yearn to go to school and to have time to play. One day a former carpet boy named Iqbal Masih leads a parade in the village. New laws have abolished bonded labor! Iqbal urges Nadeem to fight for freedom and to lead the children to a new school in town. Can Nadeem summon the courage to try again? This fictional story honors the legacy of Iqbal Masih, a real boy who had escaped from a factory. Protected and educated, he worked to liberate child workers like Nadeem by the thousands. His work won him the ReebokYouth in Action award and special recognition at the International Labor Conference. When he returned to Pakistan after his trip, he was fatally shot while riding his bicycle. He was only twelve, but he had already made a difference in children's lives all over the world. Resources at the end of the story lead to more information about child labor issues and encourage children to support companies that work to make the world a better place for all.

Winter, Jeanette. Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2008 Age Range: 4 - 8 years As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. But years later when she returns home, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something-and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans. . . . This true story of Wangari Maathai, environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a shining example of how one woman's passion, vision, and determination inspired great change. Includes an author's note. This book was printed on 100% recycled paper with 50% postconsumer waste.

Guillain, Adam, and Elke Steiner. Bella's Chocolate Surprise. London: Milet Publishing, 2008. Age Range: 7 - 9 years | Series: Bella Balistica Lessons about fair trade are at the center of this adventure that begins on Bella's birthday. Her mother has baked a chocolate cake and, delicious though it is, Bella begins to wonder where chocolate comes from. With the help of her friend the Quetzal bird, Bella harnesses the powers of her mystical pendant and flies to Ghana in West Africa, where she befriends a group of children working in the cacao fields. She soon learns that they are part of a collective that guarantees a fair income to workers and pays for the children to go to school. Delighting in her new cross-cultural friendships, Bella starts to plan how to get people from home involved in supporting fair-trade practices around the world.

Atkins, Jeannine, and Venantius J. Pinto. Aani & the Tree Huggers. New York: LEE & LOW BOOKS, Inc., 1995. Age Range: 6 and up Based on true events in northern India, this is the story of a little girl's bravery. One day, Aani hears the roaring of the tree cutters. Hoping to get the workers to put down their saws and hatchets, Aani and the village women explain that the trees provide food, fuel, and homes for animals, but to no avail. Finally, Aani wraps her body around one of the trees, with surprising results. Distinctive color illustrations, inspired by Indian miniature painting, accompany the moving story.

This site presents numerous global issues, aiming to show how they are inter-related.

The experts at SavATree know the value of trees. Trees provide oxygen, shade, privacy, food, beauty and so much more. Hear what these kids had to say about trees.

The idea was developed and implemented by Worldometers. We believe that this special webpage carries strong philosophical, symbolic, and aesthetic attributes. Even the mathematics behind the implementation of this page is deeply fascinating. 7 Billion people so beautifully displayed together on a single webpage is a visual testament of the human condition of every single one of us, and all of us together, on our planet earth. It is available on the internet for everybody in the world to watch at any time, adding to the feeling of sharing something in common. It is also a snapshot of an extraordinary moment in history: the exact instant when we reached 7 billion people on earth, captured on October 31, 2011 at 5:49:16 GMT.

Photojournalist and educator Joan Sara Klatchko uses her photography to tell powerful stories of children: the cultures that define them, the global issues that affect them, the universal themes that connect them.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is leading a global initiative on Sustainable Energy for All to mobilize action from all sectors of society in support of three interlinked objectives to be achieved by 2030: providing universal access to modern energy services; doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

This WWF report brings together a variety of quantitative information and on the current state of global biodiversity and human impact on nature. Confronting the fact that people are using 50 percent more resources than the Earth can provide, this report summarizes this information and suggests changes in action to slow and reverse current trends.

UWC schools and colleges offer life defining experiences for young people, enabling them to discover the possibility of change through courageous action, personal example and selfless leadership. A UWC education enshrines a commitment to the balanced development of the whole person and encourages an integrated development of human potential across a range of different dimensions, including the intellectual, moral, aesthetic, emotional, social, spiritual and physical.

In 2013, Green In Action Awards will be granted to inspiring projects based on GEF's sustainability themes. Winners are those schools, classrooms or youth groups who have demonstrated their commitment, creativity, or passion for sustainability in their application. Great application materials include photos, videos, essays, or artwork describing your environmental project, weigh-in, activity, community service project, or green team program! There are so many ways to participate and make a difference so show us how YOU are a champion for sustainability!