Save the Children

SAVE THE CHILDREN IS a transnational private aid agency, first established in England in 1919 to combat the serious economic and social problems caused by World War I and its aftermath. Animosities at the end of the war gave way to vengeful actions, such as the blockade of food supplies to the Germans and Austrians, even after they had surrendered. Conditions in Europe were appalling, especially for women and children who were bereft of the essentials of food, clothing, and shelter.

While some members of the public may have supported the continued enforced misery of the central powers, many found this attitude intolerable and worked to improve the situation. Among these were the British philanthropist Eglantyne Jebb, who with her sister Dorothy Buxton and others founded the Fight the Famine Council in 1919, the precursor to the Save the Children organization.

The goal of the council was to create an international network of organizations aimed at improving the lives of impoverished children around the globe and advocating self-help rather than charity. In tandem with working to improve children's lives on a physical level, Jebb was instrumental in pushing for legislation that would safeguard the rights of children everywhere. In 1923, Jebb wrote the text of a children's charter. Known as the Declaration of Geneva and adopted by the League of Nations in 1924, this document is the precursor to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The convention, adopted by the United Nations in 1989, was developed by the International Save the Children Union, and underpins the work of Save the Children.

Today the mission of Save the Children is to fight for children's rights and to deliver both short- and long-term improvements to the lives of children. As of 2004, there were 29 Save the Children organizations making up the International Save the Children Alliance, an umbrella group created in 1997. These not-for profit, nondenominational organizations operate in more than 100 developed and developing countries. Save the Children is unique among aid agencies in that its national affiliates, including those in developing countries, are encouraged to act independently. This differs from most other transnational aid agencies, where planning for programs and use of funds are determined by developed nations.

Save the Children organizations often work at promoting children's rights through advocacy and ameliorating their conditions both in their own countries and abroad. For example, Save the Children USA works with children in rural areas in the poorest American states, as well as in countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. In tandem with advocating rights for children, the International Save the Children Alliance has mandated programs in four areas: ensuring children's education, promoting HIV/AIDS awareness in children, protecting children from abuse and sexual exploitation, and emergency response for children during times of conflict or disaster.

Funds for Save the Children national member organizations are raised through donations from individuals and corporations, fundraising, and government funding. In the field, Save the Children organizations deliver their programs working with governmental and nongovernmental agencies. In the 1990s, Save the Children USA came under intense media criticism for having excessive overheads and for failing to see overseas programs to fruition. In 2003 the combined income of all Save the Children organizations was over $570 million worldwide.

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