Realising the rights of children:
Nine policies contend for international award
Shortlist highlights successful approaches from Africa, the Americas and Europe

Hamburg/Geneva/New York, 23 September 2015

Tanzania is one of the nine shortlisted countries for the FPA. ©AFP/G. Bouys

Nine policies from 18 countries and six regions have been shortlisted for this year’s Future Policy Award on securing children’s rights, the World Future Council and partner organizations the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UNICEF, have announced.
  
The shortlisted policies were whittled down by a jury of international experts from an original 29 that were nominated by international organizations, NGOs and academic experts from across the world.
Awards will be given to the top three policies that most effectively contribute to protecting and strengthening the rights of girls and boys. The winners will be announced at an award ceremony on 20 October at the 133rd IPU Assembly in Geneva. 

The nine shortlisted policies are:
1. Argentina – Supreme Court’s pioneering judgement on environmental rights, 2008
2. Finland – Basic Education Act, 1998, and general education policies
3. Flanders, Belgium – “JOKER” Child and Youth Impact Report, 1997/2008
4. Germany – Social Code, Book Eights (VIII) Child and Youth Services, 2005
5. Italy - Law-frame for the Support, Social Integration and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 1992
6. Maryland, USA – Maryland’s Environmental Literacy Standards, 2008
7. Nicaragua – Municipal Child Councils
8. Sweden – Children and Parent Code to prohibit all corporal punishment and other humiliating treatment of children, 1979
9. Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania – Children’s Act, 2011

Robust laws and policies – and their effective implementation – are the foundation for securing the rights of boys and girls as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. The Convention has since been ratified by all UN Member States except South Sudan and the United States. Its 25th anniversary was widely celebrated in November 2014. However, children the world over still struggle with poverty, gender inequality, inclusion, homelessness, abuse, preventable diseases and unequal access to education.
The Future Policy Award is unique in celebrating policies rather than people on an international level. Since 2009 it has been awarded on a different policy field every year to showcase existing and working policy solutions to an international audience.
It is presented by the World Future Council, an international policy research organization that provides decision-makers with effective policy solutions.   

For the full list of all nominated policies and the composition of the jury, see www.worldfuturecouncil.org/fpa_2015.html.

Future Policy Award 
The Future Policy Award is designed to alert policymakers and the public to the importance of best practice in lawmaking and highlight outstanding examples of regulatory vision. The Award draws attention to existing sustainable policies and demonstrates that when political will is asserted, positive change can happen. Celebrating visionary policies raises public awareness, encourages rapid learning and speeds up policy action towards just, sustainable and peaceful societies. For more information, see here.
 
Previous Future Policy Award Topics:
2014: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
2013: Disarmament
2012: Oceans and Coasts
2011: Forests
2010: Biodiversity
2009: Food Security