Convention on the Right of the Child Sign On Letter

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

As leaders of American nonprofit organizations that work in support of children and families both here in the United States and abroad, we urge you to send the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) to the U.S. Senate for its consideration by next Universal Children's Day, November 20, 2012.

As you know, the CRC commits governments to protect children's rights to survival, health, education, and freedom from exploitation and abuse and to support the roles of families and parents in providing a safe and nurturing environment. Since its unanimous adoption in 1989, the CRC has proven a powerful tool to improve laws and policies around the world. Although the Clinton Administration signed the CRC in 1995, the treaty has never been submitted to the Senate for consideration.

The American people care deeply about the well-being of children everywhere. That compassion is reflected in our own laws to protect children and in our strong support for international programs to help children. U.S. ratification of the CRC would strengthen our Nation's international leadership on behalf of children and families everywhere. It would also provide the U.S. Government with a framework to highlight the challenges that children still face here at home and to explore our society's efforts to meet those challenges.

Mr. President, you and First Lady Michelle Obama are passionate advocates for children and families. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ambassador Susan E. Rice, and you have worked diligently to uphold human rights around the world. It is therefore fitting for you, as President, to take action for the rights of children and parents by moving the CRC ratification process forward.

From our organizations' experience, we see first-hand the challenges and abuses that children everywhere still face every day. We believe that U.S. ratification of the CRC will help us move forward to address those challenges, and strengthen our government's efforts to help children survive and thrive.

Next Universal Children's Day marks the 23rd anniversary of the UN's unanimous adoption of the CRC, and 17 years since the United States signed it. We urge you, Mr. President, to submit the CRC to the Senate before the next anniversary.

Sincerely,

Rudi Maier Ph.D.
President/Executive Director
ADRA International

Loretta Johnson
Secretary Treasurer
American Federation of Teachers

David Meltzer
Senior Vice President for International Services
American Red Cross

Adotei Akwei
Managing Director, Advocacy and Government Relations
Amnesty International

Diane P. Whitehead
Executive Director
Association of Childhood Education International

Anthony Vance
Director
Bahá'í Office of External Affairs

Ron Nabors
CEO
CBM-US

Vince Warren
Executive Director
Center for Constitutional Rights

Reid Maki
Coordinator
Child Labor Coalition

Christine James Brown
President & CEO
Child Welfare League of America

Anne Lynam Goddard
President & CEO
ChildFund International

Marian Wright Edelman
President
Children's Defense Fund

Rev. John L. McCullough
Executive Director/CEO
Church World Service

John Surr
Steering Committee
Concerned Educators Allied for a Safe Environment

Julia M. Watkins
Executive Director
Council on Social Work Education

Kevin Ryan
CEO
Covenant House

Carol Smolenski
Executive Director
ECPAT/USA

Yasmeen Hassan
Global Director
Equality Now

Michael R. Petit
President
Every Child Matters

Bruce Lesley
President
First Focus

Diane Randall
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation

Kathy Spahn
President & CEO
Helen Keller International

Kenneth Roth
Executive Director
Human Rights Watch

Sarah Degnan Kambou Ph.D.
President
International Center for Research on Women

Nancy A. Aossey
President & CEO
International Medical Corps

George Rupp
President & CEO
International Rescue Committee

Julie Gilbert Rosicky
Executive Director
International Social Service - USA

Janet Mock C.S.J.
Executive Director
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Mujahid Al-Fayadh Ph.D.
President & CEO
Life for Relief and Development

Umar al-Qadi
President & CEO
Mercy-USA for Aid and Development

Jerlean Daniel Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Association for the Education of Young Children

Elizabeth J. Clark Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Association of Social Workers

Sally Greenberg
Executive Director
National Consumers League

Cathy Albisa
Executive Director
National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI)

Dennis Van Roekel
President
National Education Association

Maria Foscarinis
Executive Director
National Law Center on Homlessness and Poverty

Purnima Mane
President & CEO
Pathfinder International

Steven M. Rothstein
President
Perkins School for the Blind

Hans Hogrefe
Washington Director
Physicians for Human Rights

Tessie San Martin Ph.D.
President & CEO
Plan International USA

Rev. Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Michel Gabaudan
President
Refugees International

Brother Dennis Malloy FSC
President
Regional Conference of Christian Brothers

Farshad Rastegar Ph.D.
President & CEO
Relief International

Carolyn S. Miles
President & CEO
Save the Children

John Allen
CEO
SOS Children's Villages USA

Timothy Shriver Ph.D.
Chairman & CEO
Special Olympics

Mary Ellen McNish
President & CEO
The Hunger Project

William M. Abrams
President
Trickle Up

Lavinia Limon
President & CEO
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants

Caryl M. Stern
President & CEO
U.S. Fund for UNICEF

David Winder Ph.D.
CEO
WaterAid in America

David Eller
President
World Concern

Judith Wagner Ph.D.
President
World Early Childhood Education Organization, U.S. Branch

Richard Stearns
President
World Vision U.S.