The Relevance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for Multinational Corporations and Global Mobility
Introduction
As the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) celebrates its 35th anniversary, it’s a fitting time to explore how its principles extend beyond state responsibilities and apply meaningfully to corporations. The CRC, adopted to protect children’s rights and welfare, originally focused on guiding governments in their duties toward children. However, corporations—especially those with global mobility programs—are increasingly embracing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human rights principles that echo the CRC’s intent. For companies sponsoring international relocations, these principles can guide the development of family-centered policies that support both employees and their children.
As children accompany parents on global assignments, frequent travel, and split-family arrangements, the need to prioritize children’s rights, stability, and wellbeing becomes even more pronounced. By aligning relocation policies with CRC—inspired principles, corporations can reinforce their duty of care, enhance employee satisfaction, and contribute to broader social goals such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). Below, we’ll explore how specific CRC articles connect to family relocation policies and the benefits corporations can gain by making this commitment.
The Foundation of Children’s Rights in Global Mobility
When families relocate internationally due to corporate assignments, the wellbeing of accompanying children becomes a core aspect of corporate responsibility. Article 3 of the CRC underscores that in all actions concerning children, their best interests must be a primary consideration—a principle that resonates deeply with corporations committed to responsible global mobility practices. By prioritizing children’s needs within their policies, corporations affirm the value of family stability and continuity during relocation.
Article 9 emphasizes a child’s right to family unity, a crucial consideration when assignments might separate family members. Corporate policies that address and mitigate disruptions to family life—whether through flexible arrangements, support for trailing family members, or resources that aid in maintaining strong family bonds—help uphold this right. Article 10 further supports this by affirming that children and their families should have the right to maintain contact, especially across borders.
Article 12 grants children the right to be heard in matters that impact them, underscoring the importance of considering children’s views during relocation planning. Involving children in discussions about the move, in an age-appropriate manner, promotes a sense of agency and helps alleviate relocation-related anxieties. Corporations that create space for children’s input signal respect for their role within the family’s relocation experience.
Practical Recommendations: To align with these CRC principles, companies can implement family-first relocation policies, offering flexible arrangements that prioritize family unity and stability and ensure that family members can remain closely connected during the relocation. Considering children’s presence when determining the most suitable assignment type is essential, as is family-friendly assignment planning.
Employee and Family Wellbeing
A key CRC principle, the “best interests of the child” (Article 3), is directly relevant to corporate duty of care for relocating families. By aligning relocation practices and policies with this principle, corporations can provide child-centered services that prioritize children’s mental and physical wellbeing. Such an approach helps families navigate the unique challenges that accompany global transitions and ensure children feel supported throughout the process.
Incorporating Article 12, which grants children the right to express their views on matters affecting them, is essential in relocations where children may feel they have little control over significant changes. By supporting parents with involving their children in age-appropriate conversations about upcoming moves, companies help ease anxieties and encourage a sense of involvement. Implementing a feedback mechanism that measures the family relocation experience allows corporations to listen to children’s concerns and preferences and helps promote a smoother transition and fosters a supportive family environment.
Article 24 of the CRC highlights every child’s right to health, encompassing both physical and mental wellbeing. Relocations can be emotionally taxing for children as they adapt to new cultures, schools, and social settings. Corporations can support children’s wellbeing by facilitating their parents in effectively supporting their children’s mental health during these times of significant life changes and transitions. Such efforts not only support children’s overall health but also contribute to family stability and adjustment, benefiting both employees and the organization.
Practical Recommendations: Companies can prioritize child wellbeing by offering family support services, access to healthcare services, family-friendly relocation packages, and child-centered programs. Involving both parents in assignment briefings, and ensuring that this conversation covers the needs and wellbeing of their children ensures that appropriate resources can be allocated from the start.
Sustainable Global Mobility Practices
Sustainability in global mobility extends beyond environmental considerations to encompass family stability and children’s long-term development. For companies supporting international relocations, sustainable practices are those that ensure safe, stable, and nurturing environments for relocating families, fostering both immediate wellbeing and future growth.
Articles 6 and 27 of the CRC emphasize every child’s right to life, survival, development, and an adequate standard of living to support their overall wellbeing. By adopting policies that provide safe housing, accessible healthcare, and educational continuity, companies support the physical, mental, and social development of children in relocating families. This comprehensive approach to family wellbeing creates a secure foundation that helps children adapt to new environments with confidence and stability.
Article 16 provides for children’s right to privacy, a vital aspect of sustainable mobility, especially in assignments that require sensitive information sharing due to family or location circumstances. When personal details, such as school records and healthcare information, are shared with relocation providers and other third parties, corporations bear a responsibility to handle this data securely. Ensuring the confidentiality of children’s information fosters family trust and reinforces the child’s right to privacy.
Practical Recommendations: To create a more sustainable relocation experience, companies should prioritize selecting destination service providers that genuinely assess and understand the needs of accompanying children. Employees should be encouraged to make decisions regarding their children’s needs and wellbeing with long-term future plans in mind.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) in Relocation
The CRC’s Article 2 stresses non-discrimination, reinforcing the importance of equal access to resources for all children in corporate relocation programs. Designing relocation policies with an understanding of how to support different family compositions (such as single parents or blended families), needs (such as disabilities or neurodiversity) and underrepresented groups (such as people of color or LGBTQ+ families) is a first step in the direction of supporting all children equally.
Article 30, which protects children’s rights to cultural expression, is particularly relevant as internationally mobile children often find themselves in the minority after migration. This shift can deeply affect children’s sense of identity and belonging. Article 31’s guarantee of the right to play also comes into play here, as recreational resources are essential for children’s social and emotional adjustment.
Under Article 1 the definition of a child is any person under the age of 18. It is important to note that in some cultures, a child may be defined not only by age but by their economic or social roles within the family. Including cultural nuances could highlight the importance of tailored, culturally sensitive support for children in international relocations.
Practical Recommendations: Corporations should consider DE&I-focused relocation programs, including access to suitable schooling, cultural networks, and extracurricular activities such as mother tongue language programs that help children connect with others from similar backgrounds. Offering family relocation support opens the door for more female-led relocations, which is a goal many corporations have high on their agenda as well.
Education: the Intersection of Sustainability and DE&I for Children in Relocation
Ensuring access to suitable education is vital to a child’s long-term wellbeing and success. Article 28 emphasizes a child’s right to education, while Article 29 focuses on the quality of that education, highlighting the importance of an approach that respects each child’s personality, talents, and abilities. Articles 30 and 31 further affirm children’s rights to cultural expression and recreational activities, both integral to a well-rounded educational experience.
Corporations can support these rights by facilitating access to schools and educational resources that meet children’s diverse needs, including accommodations for children with special educational needs (as outlined in Article 23). By implementing inclusive educational support, corporations empower all children to grow and learn fully in their new environments, regardless of individual backgrounds or abilities.
Practical Recommendations: Education Consulting is a vital service to ensure that employees can make well informed decisions between various (international) school curricula, instructional languages, and graduation programs. Furthermore, corporations might consider offering relocation packages with flexibility to accommodate special requirements, such as access to specialists, educational aids, and support services in line with the provisions that would have been available to a child in their home country.
Conclusion
To foster a relocation culture that truly supports children and families, corporate sponsors need practical, child-focused solutions that respect the rights and wellbeing of relocating children. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a clear framework for these efforts, urging employers to consider children’s voices, privacy, education, needs, and (mental) wellbeing as essential components of sustainable global mobility.
For those tasked with implementing these changes, the right support is essential. When seeking partnerships to strengthen family-focused policies, look for experts with a proven track record in supporting diverse family needs and children’s wellbeing across all aspects of relocation. Ideal partners bring in-depth knowledge, real-world examples, and practical resources that align with the CRC’s principles, covering areas such as flexible relocation policies, family support, and educational continuity.
Consider starting with a needs assessment specific to your organization’s goals for family support in relocation. Assessing policies through a structured lens—such as evaluating demographics, key drivers, family-centered benefits, inclusive policies, and supportive vendor partnerships—can help organizations create a balanced, child-sensitive framework within their Global Mobility programs. This approach encourages a more comprehensive understanding of how each policy and practice affects relocating families and children, aligning corporate objectives with responsible global practices that honor CRC values.
For organizations needing comprehensive support to build or refine family-centered mobility programs, Expat Valley offers resources and guidance tailored to the unique challenges of relocating families. We’re here to help you bring the principles of the CRC into practice, ensuring your company’s mobility policies reflect an informed, holistic approach to global assignments that prioritizes families and fosters sustainable success.
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