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Watch Hedley's Jacob Hoggard talk about the importance of standing in solidarity for children's rights around the world.

Vow of Silence

We won’t stand by while children are subjected to exploitation, poverty and the denial of their basic rights. Every day, millions of children are silenced by these abuses. But we can take a stand for children everywhere.

The Vow of Silence is Free The Children’s annual fundraising and awareness-raising campaign that engages tens of thousands of participants to stand up for children whose rights are not being upheld.

From Toronto to Mexico City, London to San Francisco, Beijing to Jakarta, Vancouver to Sydney and back, on November 30, 2011, young people will go silent for 24 hours in solidarity with children who are being silenced by poverty and exploitation. For Vow participants, being silent can mean refraining from speaking. It can also mean not using email, Facebook, Twitter or text messaging. It can even mean not using hand gestures, note writing or any communication at all. Participants like you can determine your level of silence based on what you’re comfortable with.

This campaign can be done as an individual, group, school, or even an entire city.

So take the Vow. Take action, raise funds and awareness for Free The Children. On November 30th, go silent in solidarity with children who are denied their human rights and denied their voice.

sign up tools and resources get the facts make it count donate


Sign up now to take the Vow of Silence.

Fundraise
and raise awareness »

Raise funds and awareness. Ask your family, friends and community to support your Vow of Silence. Their support will give a voice to children who are silenced by the denial of their rights.

Raise awareness »


Tell your family, tell your friends, tell anyone who will listen, that you are going silent in support of children’s rights.


Get the facts.

Human rights are basic standards and freedoms that every person requires to live. They are founded on respect for the dignity and worth of each individual. Regardless of race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, birth status or ability, these rights apply to every human being, everywhere.

Learn more about human rights, as well as the unique rights of children in particular, by getting informed about the issues. Read the Vow How-to Guide, check out our classroom lesson plans or compile your own research about children’s rights.

No matter how you do it, remember to get the facts.


make it count.

You can increase the impact of your Vow of Silence by collecting pledges from friends and family for each hour you remain silent. Make sure you raise awareness by explaining what the Vow is and why it’s important to you to stand in solidarity with kids around the world, silenced by poverty and exploitation.

As people pledge $1 or more for each hour you remain silent, you will be supporting Free The Children’s development projects in communities affected by poverty, disease and exploitation.

provides classroom supplies for a school.gives a family clean drinking water.
funds a two-month lunch program for a school.provides teacher training programs in Free The Children schools.
supports the building of a community well.can build a school or a school room**.
* The monetary amounts shown represent the average costs of Free The Children projects in the communities in which we work. In cases where donations exceed what is needed or local conditions prevent program implementation, Free The Children will redirect funds to similar activities to help people in need. If additional funding is required because of specific project requirements or challenging local conditions, Free The Children may provide additional funding to complete the project to meet our commitment to our beneficiaries.
** Provides for one classroom at a school—construction design varies depending on country—may consist of one-room schoolhouses, school-room or multi-classroom blocks
Together We Can Change the World.