advocate for children's rights

Save the Children has been fighting for children’s rights since 1919.

A remarkable woman named Eglantyne Jebb founded Save the Children in England in 1919. Concerned that the economic blockade against the defeated powers in World War I was causing widespread famine, Eglantyne convinced her sister Dorothy and like-minded friends to form an organisation called Save the Children.

The organisation lobbied governments and raised money to feed starving children in post-war Europe and Russia. The Australian arm of Save the Children was also established in 1919 – its first campaign was to collect and ship milk, wool and other supplies for children in Russia.

Save the Children’s feeding centres provided 157 million meals for over 300,000 Russian children during the famine.

The success of the programs in Europe and Russia proved that Save the Children was making a real difference in people’s lives. But it had always been in response to a crisis.

Eglantyne had been searching for a long-term solution to child welfare when she arrived in Geneva in 1923. While hiking up Mount Saleve on a Sunday morning, she penned what became her enduring legacy. Pausing to rest halfway up the mountain, she jotted down five directives she considered to be the fundamental rights of every child.

Determined that her vision would become a reality, Eglantyne lobbied the League of Nations until they adopted these rights in 1924. This sowed the seeds for the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959.

From these remarkable beginnings, Save the Children continues to fight for children’s rights. The organisation is the world’s largest independent child rights development organisation and works with children in more than 100 countries. From emergency relief to long-term development, Save the Children secures a child’s right to health, education and protection.

Our Vision:

Save the Children works for

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

Our Mission:

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