The Child Rights Center

The Child Rights Center was officially opened at Business and Technology University in cooperation with UNICEF, with the aim of promoting children’s rights. BTU became the 12th university in Georgia to establish such a center. The new Center will work to generate and disseminate knowledge and raise awareness of children’s rights among academic and professional communities.

The Child Rights Center at Business and Technology University aims to strengthen the capacities of academic staff, students, young people, and representatives of various professions through training sessions, public lectures, knowledge-sharing activities, and participation in research projects.

Cooperation among university-based centers was further strengthened last year through the establishment of the Academic Network for Children’s Rights. The Network reinforces links between academia, local authorities, and communities, contributing to the protection of children’s rights and their integration into higher education.

UNICEF’s upcoming five-year cooperation programme will prioritize strengthening research focused on children’s rights. University-based Child Rights Centers will play an important role in research activities, helping ensure that future policies are based on high-quality evidence.

This type of academic engagement is also envisaged by the Code on the Rights of the Child, adopted in 2019, which places particular emphasis on the specialization of professionals working with children. The Child Rights Centers are now well positioned to connect research, education, and policy and contribute to the protection of children’s rights.

The Child Rights Centers operating at universities aim to integrate children’s rights education into higher education. Established through partnerships between UNICEF and universities, the Centers in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Batumi, Gori, Telavi, and Akhaltsikhe serve as resource hubs that promote awareness, dialogue, and capacity-building in the field of children’s rights.

Through training sessions, public lectures, research activities, and the development of educational programmes, these Centers strengthen the skills of future teachers, professionals, and students, enabling them to better understand and protect children’s rights.