About Save the Children

Our Mission

Save the Children fights for children's rights. We deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children’s lives worldwide.

Our Vision

Save the Children works for:

• a world which respects and values each child 
• a world which listens to children and learns 
• a world where all children have hope and opportunity.

What Sets Us Apart

Save the Children is the world’s largest independent organisation for children, making a difference to children’s lives in over 100 countries.  From emergency relief to long-term development, Save the Children helps children to achieve a happy, healthy and secure childhood. Save the Children listens to children, involves children and ensures their views are taken into account. Save the Children secures and protects children’s rights – to food, shelter, health care, education and freedom from violence, abuse and exploitation.

Save the Children is...

Child focused:

All of Save the Children's work is child focused - in the way we formulate policy, through to the grassroots programs.  We are child focused:

• in our fight for children's rights 
• because we try to view the world through the eyes of children 
• because we involve children directly in our planning and our work 
• in all our work to improve the lives of children 
• because children are at the heart of everything we do 
• in our ability to respond immediately to emergencies that threaten the lives of children 
• in our longer-term development work, focusing as we do on what will improve the lives of children.

Effective:

Save the Children works with members of the communities to ensure their views and needs are taken into account. This means the programs directly address the problems so the outcome is effective and long lasting.  We are effective:

• because our programs are designed with - not for - communities 
• because we are responsible to those we exist to serve - the children, their families and communities - and to those who support our work 
• in bringing issues into the public domain and influencing key players 
• because we deliver measurable, tangible results 
• in or fundraising, because we know and understand our audiences 
• in the partnerships we enter into both at home and in overseas program areas 
• in ensuring that we are open and honest in our reporting 
• because professionally and financially we are sound, scrupulous and efficient.

Passionate:

Save the Children is passionate about children. We want them to live life to the full and experience the joy of being a child - playing and learning within a safe, caring environment. We are passionate:

• about fighting for the rights of the child 
• about the need to lobby governments to make them deliver their promises 
• about our work - we know it makes a difference 
• about our abhorrence of war and striving for peace about fighting for justice for all children 
• about giving children equal rights, wherever and however they live 
• about our supporters 
• about always striving for excellence in whatever we do .

Outspoken

Save the Children will not hesitate to speak out on controversial issues - to get people to listen to what matters - to respect the rights of children - we will be outspoken and will make sure we are heard. We are outspoken:

• about issues that matter, from child soldiers to the effects of HIV/AIDS 
• about the lethargy of people who can bring about change for the better 
• because we tell it like it is and are committed to continue highlighting areas for change 
• because we use our depth of experience to influence everything we do 
• because we continue to challenge and we dare to take action.

Authoritative

Save the Children is respected for being authoritative - our experience and track record give us authority to speak out. We are authoritative:

• because we have wide experience and a positive track record 
• because we turn theory into concrete action 
• because we undertake solid research and don't reinvent the wheel 
• because we are careful only to talk about what we know to be true 
• because we are successful in raising issues, influencing minds and bringing about change.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child  

Save the Children Australia is an organisation that upholds the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) through support for development assistance programs in Australia and overseas.