Kids mission statements: Developing a mission statement — Better Kid Care — Penn State Extension

Опубликовано: December 25, 2022 в 9:47 am

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6 Tips For Developing A Family Mission Statement

My oldest son is going to middle school next year and quite frankly I don’t know where the time went. As he transitions into this new phase in his life, I can’t help but wonder, have we provided him with a solid enough foundation to lean on as his sphere of influence widens? Does he fully grasp what morals and values are important to our family?

Sure my husband and I have discussed these thing amongst ourselves, but we never explicitly discussed it with our kids. As my son prepares to start middle school, I want him to be clear about our family’s core beliefs and also our goals as a family.

According to Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, when families lack a shared vision “kids can be swept along with the flow of society’s values and trends.” Unfortunately, everything that society values isn’t always in line with what our family believes in. This is why it’s so important that families share with their kids from early on who they are as a family and what they are about.

Covey believes that creating a family mission statement is one way to establish a family’s identity. He defines a family mission statement as “a combined, unified expression from all family members of what your family is all about — what it is you really want to do and be — and the principles you choose to govern your family life.” Basically a family mission statement lays out for your family what you want to accomplish together and how you plan on getting it done.

Bottom line, every family should have a family mission statement. Below I’m going to share with you some ideas on how to create one.

1. Schedule a family meeting. Plan a time to explain to your children that your family will be developing a family mission statement. Covey suggests that you make this planning meeting a special occasion for the family. We made creating our mission statement part of our New Year’s Eve celebration.

2. Brainstorm with your family to determine what your family is all about. It’s important that everyone gets to have a say in what your family mission statement will be. Children will be more likely to adhere to your mission statement when they help to create it. The following are some questions you can ask to help figure out your family’s identity.

• What words best describes our family?
• What are our strengths as a family?
• What is our purpose as a family?
• If our home could be filled with one feeling, what would it be?
• What makes you want to come home?
• What embarrasses you about our family?
• What would you like for other people to say about our family?
• What kind of relationships do we want to have with each other?
• How do we want to talk to each other and treat each other?
• As a family, we are at our best when…
• As a family, we are at our worst when…
• Name three things you want our family to value.
• How are we unique as a family?
• What are some of our family’s core values and beliefs? (i. e. honesty, loyalty, kindness, acceptance).
• What do you want our family to accomplish in the next 10 years?

Try not to get too hung up on getting the ‘right’ answers to these questions. Focus more on the process of discussing your family’s vision and goals. This is a great opportunity to bond with your family as you listen to each other discuss what’s important to each of you.

3. Narrow down your list. Once you have answered the above questions, you will no doubt have a large amount of information that could be included in your mission statement. However, since you want your mission statement to be brief, everything can’t be included. Review the answers given by family members and then work with them to determine the top ten priorities for your family. We did this by taking a family vote.

4. Write your family mission statement. After you and your family decide what priorities and goals are most important to your family, it’s time to use this information to draft your family’s mission statement. Keep your statement short because you want it to be easily remembered. A rule of thumb is to keep your mission statement under 100 words.

There’s no right way to make a family mission statement so you have a lot of leeway in how your finished product looks. For example, you can write it as a paragraph, as a series of bullets, as a song, etc. The key is whatever works for your family. Check out these sample mission statements from other families.

5. Create a visual display of your family mission statement. Once you are satisfied with your family mission statement, frame it and hang it where it will be seen daily. This will ensure that family members have a constant reminder of what your family is all about and what you are seeking to accomplish.

6. Review family mission statement often. If you want your kids to internalize your family’s mission statement, then you will need to review it with them often. Try and find ways to refer back to your mission statement through-out the day. For example, when my kids do something wrong I ask them if their behavior is in line with our mission as a family. This usually opens up the door to discuss their behavior and they get a clear explanation of why their behavior is problematic and what they need to do to fix it.

I hope you find this information helpful as you set out to create your family mission statement. Don’t forget to check out 20 Family Reflection Questions To Discuss With Your Family in the New Year!

How and why to write a family mission statement

How and why to write a family mission statement

Fostering a sense of belonging in a family is an important part of cultivating a positive family culture. It is vital for our children that our homes are a space where they feel safe, connected, loved and accepted unconditionally.

Children need to feel they belong. And they need to feel that they are a part of something bigger than themselves – something important, and special. It is this sense of belonging that builds resilience in our children. It helps them develop healthy self esteem and self identity and gives them the confidence they need to manage challenges, to solve problems and to ask for help when they need it.

But a positive family culture doesn’t just happen on its own. Building a healthy, loving home – and family – requires intentionality. It requires us as parents to set clear guidelines – a pathway for us and our children based on our own big vision for what we want our family to look and feel like. And a great way to do this is by creating a family mission statement.

What is a mission statement?

A mission statement is a short summary of what matters most to you as a family. The principles that guide you. Creating a mission statement together is a powerful way to reflect upon your values as a family and gives everyone a clear understanding of what you stand for and expect of each other as a family.

Why create a family mission statement?

Having a shared vision – a clear purpose, values and goals – as a family, helps children and parents feel connected to each other, and creates a sense of belonging and unity. A mission statement is a roadmap that lays out not only where you are headed as family, but also how you will get there. And that’s because it can help to guide your parenting decisions, as well as your child’s decisions as they grow. It provides them (and you) with a very clear framework and set of expectations to follow based upon your agreed upon values and beliefs.

5 steps to create a family mission statement

1. Discuss

If your kids are old enough to participate, I recommend you do this activity together as a family. Set aside a time to discuss your mission statement, free from distractions – the process of discussing your values is just as important as the finished mission statement itself! This is a time for in depth, meaningful and intentional discussion, so don’t worry too much what it looks like. The most important thing is that you are taking time to have the conversation!

Some questions to consider during your discussion:

  • What is important to us as a family?
  • What do we believe in as a family?
  • How do we want it to feel in our family?
  • What do we enjoy doing together as a family?
  • How do we treat people as a family?
  • What do we enjoy doing together as a family?
  • What do we want to do more of as a family?
  • How do we show our love and respect for each other in our family?

It’s important that you listen to everyone during this process and write ALL ideas down. Because everyone deserves to have their voice heard during this process – even the smallest members of the family.

2. Create a draft

Once you’ve written down everyone’s ideas, it’s time to create a draft mission statement. Think together about which ideas are the MOST important to you as a family. Perhaps choose the top 5-6 values you all agree are important to you as a family. And then pay attention to any recurring themes, ideas or words that continue to come up. Find the ones that fit best with your family values and allow you to live them out in your daily actions.

To help guide you during this process and to provide structure your mission statement, you might like to choose an opening line like:

  • In the ____(insert name)_____ family we________
  • In this home we do___________
  • In our family we believe __________
  • In this family we value ____________
  • We are a family who ___________

3. Take a break

Once you’ve created your draft I want you to take some space from it to really consider whether it feels right for your family. Wait a day or two. Think about it. Notice how things in your family feel. How are you relating to each other? Once you’ve taken a break, come back together and read your mission statement aloud. Are you still happy with it? Does it truly reflect your family’s values? If the answer is yes, great! Now it’s time to finalise it. If the answer is no, then make any necessary tweaks and changes first!

4. Finalise your mission statement

Now it’s time to put it all together. Displaying your finalised mission statement in a prominent place in your home is a great way to remind everyone of what’s important to you as a family and foster a sense of togetherness, belonging and shared purpose. If you’re a creative family you might like to make a poster together, or you may prefer to type your mission statement out on the computer or use a program or app to create a fun printable version.

Once your mission statement is completed, be sure to display it somewhere everyone in the family can see it. Try to choose a high traffic area in your home or a very visible spot where everyone tends to gather. For example, you may like to display your mission statement in your entry way near the front door, in your living room, or on the wall above your dining or kitchen table so you can see it while you eat meals together.

5. Review your mission statement

A mission statement is not set in stone. It’s not an unchanging, static document – it can’t be! It will change and grow as your family changes and grows. This is especially true if you complete your mission statement while your children are very young, or if you add new family members to your crew! So it’s always a good idea to come back to your mission statement periodically and review whether it is still an accurate reflection of your family values and goals – you may even like to make it an annual family tradition.

And remember, there is no right or wrong way to complete a mission statement. Since no two families are the same, no two mission statements will be the same either. Your mission statement is unique to you and your family, so try to let go of expectations about how it “should” look and just do what works for your family.

And remember, the process is often more important than the finished product. Just the process of discussing what matters to you as a family can create a huge shift in the way your family interacts with each other – and the world.

Need some more help to create a mission statement for your family?

As a member of the Mindful Little Mama – my online mindful parenting membership – you’ll get access to a comprehensive workbook including reflection and discussion questions to help you clarify your family values and templates to help you create your own stunning mission statement you can display proudly in your home. You’ll also get access to an amazing community of mindful parents, all working towards their own shared vision of creating happy, healthy families free from shame, blame and guilt. The membership only opens to new members a few times a year, but you can get yourself on the waitlist here.

Sarah Conway

Sarah is a psychologist, mama of 4 and the creator of Mindful Little Minds. She has over 10 years of experience working with children, adolescents and families experiencing mental health problems and has a special interest in anxiety disorders in children. In her spare time she enjoys hugging her kids, drinking coffee, and telling anyone who’ll listen how tired she is.

family life

How To Write A Family Mission Statement

But, why?

You know how toddlers pass through that phase where every question is greeted with the response “but, why?”

Aside from being highly annoying, if you think about it, it’s quite profound. Whatever we are doing in life, we should always start by asking why. 

And when it comes to something as important as managing a family, if we can agree on the ‘why’, it makes all the other day-to-day decisions so much easier. 

Creating a Family Mission Statement is a way to help you and your family understand the why. 

It’s about agreeing on your core values and creating a shared vision for your family. And it provides a tool to help steer your family in the intended direction. 

“The forces pulling on families are too strong in the modern world. Ultimately we must decide either to steer, or to go where the river takes us. ”

William Doherty, Author of The Intentional Family. 

You may be thinking this all sounds very corporate, or perhaps a little bit corny.

However, if businesses find it useful to have a Mission Statement, why shouldn’t we consider the same principles for running a family?

And, as is often the case, the process is more important than the product.

So, with that in mind, here is a seven-step process for how to write a Family Mission Statement.

Step 1. Schedule a meeting

Again, that sounds very corporate, doesn’t it? 

But don’t worry. It doesn’t need to be. I mean, feel free to bring your whiteboard and your post-it notes, if that’s your thing. But what’s important is that you dedicate some time to have the discussion.

If your kids are old enough, you should involve them in the process. So you’ll need to hold a family meeting and make it clear to everyone what you are discussing. 

If your kids are too young (you be the judge of that) or it’s still just the two of you, then even better – that’s the perfect time to start talking about this stuff.  

Now, grab a pizza, a bottle of wine, or whatever gets your creative juices flowing. It’s time to get started!

Step 2. Have the discussion 

This is the most important part of the process. It’s about sitting down and discussing what being a family means to each of you. 

As a couple, you both bring unique backgrounds to the relationship. This is a chance to discuss your respective upbringings and decide which aspects you would like to carry over to your new family and which parts you want to drop. You may even learn something new about your partner. 

If your kids are involved, it’s great to get their input and understand what they love about being part of this family. What ideas are important to them?

You can also draw inspiration from other families. Which other families do you admire? And what is it that you admire about them?

This is an open conversation with everyone participating, so feel free to go with the flow. But to get you started, here are a few questions that could help guide the discussion.

Most of these are taken from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, by Stephen Covey. 

Questions for couples

  • What sort of relationship do we want to have as a couple?
  • How do we want to resolve our differences?
  • What kind of parents do we want to be?
  • What roles will each of us perform?
  • Which traditions from our own families do we want to carry over?
  • What principles do we want to teach our children?
  • What qualities do we want to ingrain in them?
  • What sort of people do we want our kids to be in 5, 10, 20 years?

Questions for kids

  • What kind of feeling do we want to have in our home?
  • What kind of home would you like to invite your friends to?
  • What do we want to be remembered by?
  • What kind of relationships do we want to have with one another?
  • What things are truly important to us as a family?
  • What are our responsibilities as family members?
  • Who are our heroes? What it is about them that we like and would like to emulate?

Step 3: Capture key themes and ideas

During the discussion, some common themes and words will start to emerge. Make sure you write them down. You can put them on post-it notes, on a Trello Board or whatever works for you. In our case, we used a google doc. 

These words and phrases will help you discover your family values, which is what we’ll be refining in the next step.

Each family is unique, so it’s important to identify things that are truly important to your family. 

It’s fine for values to be aspirational, but if they are too removed from how you actually live your lives, they won’t work. So don’t choose things that you think ‘should’ be included, choose the ones that truly resonate and inspire each member of your family. 

These are the values that can help guide your family for many years to come. 

“Values are not end goals, they are guidelines for our actions.”

Nir Eyal, Indistractable

If you are stuck for ideas, here are a few examples of core family values you could draw from:

Examples of Core Family Values

  • Honesty
  • Generosity
  • Compassion
  • Health
  • Humour
  • Learning
  • Gratitude
  • Creativity
  • Discipline
  • Faith
  • Friends
  • Fun
  • Hard work
  • Integrity
  • Community service

Note: Prior to defining your family values, it’s often helpful to understand your personal values. If you haven’t already done this, I explain how in the 7-Steps To Being A Better Man, Partner and Dad – Free eBook.

Step 4: Agree on your Core Family Values

If you are feeling tired, you may choose to take a break at this point and come back to it another day. 

But, if you are still on a roll, the next step is to refine your ideas into a list of core family values. 

You’ve probably got a lot of different words and phrases captured. So, you can start by grouping similar items under common themes. This will help reduce the size of the list.

Try to get it down to something manageable. The smaller, the better. But less than ten words or phrases would be ideal. These are going to be your core values. 

Now, it’s time to rank these values in order of importance. 

You can do this by pairing them off against each other in a knockout competition. Kind of like a game of Top Trumps (apologies for the 80s reference).

Start with the first two values on your list and ask the question: “If we had to choose just one of these, which one would it be”? 

The winner moves up the list, the loser moves down to compete with the next one on. Keep repeating this process until you are comfortable you have your list in an order that everyone is more or less in agreeance with. 

This may seem difficult or unnecessary, but it’s a worthwhile exercise.

Reducing the size of the list forces you to ask the question – is this really a ‘core’ value? And ranking them helps you understand which of your core values are MOST important. 

Step 5: Create your Family Mission Statement

Now it’s time to create your Family Mission Statement. There’s no set formula, so you can be as creative as you like. 

“A mission statement doesn’t have to be some big, formal document. It can even be a word or a phrase, or something creative and entirely different such as an image or a symbol”

Stephen R. Covey

Covey even mentions families that have created a song or a poem for their family mission statement. Each to their own I guess 🙂

In our case, I didn’t want to spend time wordsmithing it at this stage, as I expect we will come back to it later and refine it. But we wanted to get something down as a starting point. 

Here’s what we came up with for our Family Mission Statement. It won’t win any poetry prizes, but for now, it does the job. 

We proudly show our love and affection 
We live healthy and sustainable lives.
We appreciate our family and friends.
We support each other and work as a team. 
We follow our passions.
We laugh and have fun.
We respect ourselves and others.
We are always grateful for what we have.
We help make the world a better place.

And here are some other examples of Family Mission Statements from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families:

Family Mission Statement Examples

“The mission of our family is to create a nurturing place of faith, order, truth, love, happiness and relaxation, and to provide opportunity for each individual to become responsibly independent, and effectively interdependent, in order to serve worthy purposes in society. “

Our family mission:
To love each other…
To help each other…
To believe in each other…
To wisely use our time, talents, and resources to bless others…
To worship together…
Forever.

Step 6 – Test Drive your Family Mission Statement

If you’ve made it this far, then you’ve already done all the hard work. But if you never refer to your Family Mission Statement again, it won’t have the desired effect. So, make sure you put it somewhere you will see it. 

Some families like to design a printed version of their Mission Statement and display it on the wall. And some get very creative.

Examples of Family Mission Statements (source: Pinterest)

But if the poster on the wall feels a bit corny for you, at least make sure it’s saved and easily accessible so you can refer to it regularly (e.g. ours is saved to a Google Doc with a link from my desktop).

Now, start using your Family Mission Statement. Take it for a test drive and see if it works.  

If you’ve got it right, your Family Mission Statement should be helping you to make day-to-day decisions, both small and large. 

For example:

  • Which school should we send the kids to? (which school best matches our family values?)
  • Where should we go on our next family vacation? (what’s most in line with our family mission statement?)

The Family Mission statement can also help with family rules. Nobody likes rules, so the fewer rules you need to enforce the better. 

Your Mission Statement can help you decide which rules are worth enforcing. And it can help your kids understand ‘why’ these rules are important to your family. 

Step 7: Review and refine as needed

Families evolve, kids get older and circumstances change. So over time, your Family Mission Statement may need to evolve as well. 

In any case, it’s good to come back and review it on a semi-regular basis. 

Does it still resonate? Does it need a bit of a tweak? Maybe the kids are a bit older now and want to contribute?

To make sure this happens, you could create an annual event and make it a new family tradition. Or you could habit stack, by attaching it to an existing event, so you don’t forget to do it.

e.g. ‘Change your clocks, change your smoke detector batteries, review your Family Mission Statement’ 🙂 

In our case, we will be reviewing our Mission Statement each year following our wedding anniversary. Or more regularly if needed. 

It’s about the process, not the product

No two families are the same, so no two mission statements will be the same. It’s about finding something that works for you. 

In fact, you may only get as far as defining your values and leave it at that. That alone could be very helpful.

Remember, the process is more important than the product.

The objective of writing a family mission statement is to create a shared vision for your family, so everyone understands where you are headed. 

Stephen Covey describes it as your flight plan. And, as with a flight, you should expect that family life won’t always run according to plan. That’s okay!

“Good families – even great families – are off track 90 per cent of the time! The key is that they have a sense of destination. They know what the “track” looks like. And they keep coming back to it time and time again.” 

Stephen R. Covey

Having a Family Mission Statement can help you be a more intentional parent by articulating your family’s values, vision and purpose.

And what’s more, you’ll now have the perfect response when you get asked the question…… “But, why?”

Related Resources

  • 7 Steps To Be A Better Man, Partner And Dad – Free eBook

Related Articles

  • How To Build A Family Culture: Rituals And Traditions

Best Mission Statement Examples

One of the common characteristics of mission statements is that they leave a lasting impression of your brand in the minds of your customers.

This encourages them to choose you over other brands 👀

A good mission statement encapsulates your organization’s core values ​​and reflects its personality.

So how do you write your mission statement? And what companies would you like to emulate?

Let’s start with the definition of “mission statement” , how to create one, and finish with examples of mission statements developed by the world’s leading companies.

  • What is a Mission Statement? 🧐
  • Mission Mission 🆚 Application for vision
  • Definition of a vision of 📝
  • 3 common errors, which should be avoided 🙅🏽ape
  • Presentation for the management of 👩🏼‍💻
  • 15 Best examples of the mission 💯
  • I have a Mission Statement. Now what? 💁🏻‍♂️

    • Important Disclosure: We are proud partners of some of the tools mentioned in this guide. If you follow an affiliate link and subsequently make a purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you (you pay nothing extra).

    What is a Mission Statement?

    via GIPHY

    A mission statement can be defined as a statement that declares the purpose of small business and how it serves its customers.

    Application is usually action based. It includes a brief description of the organization, what it does and its main goals.

    The Mission Statement provides clarity about the “who” , “what” and “why” of your organization.

    Some of the best mission statements tend to be the guidelines by which an organization operates. Everything an organization does should be centered around a mission statement.

    Most policy statements contain one to three sentences. And they never exceed a hundred words. The best mission statements consist of one clear sentence.

    Therefore, you need to keep this in mind when creating your 👈🏽

    Your company’s mission statement must be communicated to all stakeholders, including employees, on their first day on the job.

    You must highlight him in all recruiting and induction sessions. And your employees should have it on hand.

    After all, this is the mission for which your employees must work every day . Otherwise, they will begin to feel aimless and it will be difficult for them to understand their purpose.

    Mission Statement 🆚 Vision Statement

    To write a compelling mission statement, you need to follow a few steps which we will now discuss.

    First, be careful : you don’t want to end up with a vision statement instead of a mission statement.

    Vision Statement Definition 📝

    The Mission Statement clarifies who, what and why is a organization.

    On the other hand, the vision statement describes how the organization wants society or the world to be as a result of its services.

    The mission statement acts as a guide for the organization to achieve its vision.

    You should also avoid short descriptions of non-profit organization services in general sentence .

    Here are the steps to follow when writing a mission statement:

    1. Sit Together With Leadership 👥

    opinion is the purpose of your organization. You need to ask questions such as:

    • What are the main problems that the organization solves? Why are we here?
    • When you applied for this position, why were you wanted to work exactly with this organization?
    • Who are our customers and what do they prioritize ?
    • What picture do we want to show to the outside world as an organization?
    • How do we use our best product and/or service to achieve our goals?
    • What is the purpose of this organization
    • What do you like about working in the organization?
    • What makes this organization different from competitors ?
    • What founding principles and philosophies determined how you answered all these questions?

    You need to involve every member of management in this process.

    During the interview, take notes and note the similarities and differences between the answers. Are there specific topics or issues that arise? If yes, you can use them to write your mission statement.

    2. Identification of general topics and new topics of the interview 👨🏼‍💻

    At the second stage, it is necessary to analyze the general themes that emerged during the interview. To do this, you need to set aside a couple of hours or a whole day.

    You should devote sufficient time to this process, as writing a mission statement is necessary to identify the interests and motives of your organization. As you develop ideas, keep the following in mind:

    • Your mission statement must be reachable . The organization must work in this direction. And it must be achievable.
    • Your mission statement must be clear and understandable by all
    • The best mission statements must inspire both management and staff
    • It must distinguish your organization from others and be unique
    • Mission statement must inspire credibility and inspire all key stakeholders

    After you have written all the paragraphs, rewrite them all clearly . Eliminate as many offers as possible.

    After you’ve reduced all the paragraphs to three sentences, try combining these sentences into one overarching thought that reflects your topic.

    Do this for all the topics that you uncovered during the interview. As a result, you will have a wide range of options that you can present to business leaders.

    3. Describe how the organization does what it does 💁🏽

    0003 look for a detailed description of your organization’s physical operations.

    Instead, they will look for a description of how the business operates. This involves including one or more core values ​​in the description.

    You should take some time to list all the core values ​​that you must express in your enterprise. Some of the values ​​you should use when writing your mission statement include:

    • Provision of high -quality products
    • Providing Customer service
    • Protection Environment
    • Strengthening equality

      It is important to focus on your organization’s core competencies when considering the values ​​you should include in your application.

      Focus on one or two at the most. And add them to the description of what your organization does.

      3 Common Mistakes to Avoid 🙅🏽‍♀️

      When coming up with ideas for your mission statement, you should avoid the following mistakes :

      1. not as something that explains the reason for the existence of the organization,

      is not effective.

      You need to avoid listing what your organization does and focus on what drives the organization’s strategy and inspires your people.

      2. Lack of Fun and Personality

      A key characteristic of the best mission statements, such as Starbucks, is the incorporation of an organization’s unique personality. Your mission statement should not lack personality.

      While it’s tempting to come up with a statement that presents your organization as serious and professional, it’s important and helpful to reflect the culture that makes your organization unique.

      3. Use of Jargon

      Including “buzz” words and jargon in a mission statement is a common mistake that most organizations make when drafting their mission statements.

      Good mission statements consist of simple and clear statements that convey the purpose of the organization.

      Management Presentation 👩🏼‍💻

      Having come up with several options for the mission statement, you must present them to managers in order to receive feedback . You should be prepared to receive a lot of conflicting opinions.

      Remember that this is part of the process.

      Mission statements develop when you take the time to clarify your ideas. Once management has accepted your mission statement, you will be ready communicate it to other stakeholders.

      Your mission statement must be at the center of the minds and hearts of people. This statement not only explains why your business exists, but also why people want to do business with you.

      Some organizations go so far as to make mission statement the theme of their campaigns. You must ensure that your mission statement is visible on premises, on sales and marketing materials, and on the website.

      A great mission statement is not only a slogan, but also the basis of your leadership.

      It can help guide people who are not familiar with the business. In order to achieve the main goals of the organization, you will also need to create a vision statement.

      15 Best Mission Statement Examples 💯

      Now that you know what a mission statement is and how to create one, it’s time to address the key question of this article – What should a good mission statement look like? Who does it right?

      Here are some of the best software applications that you can review and use to create your own.

      1. JetBlue ✈️

      “Inspire humanity on the ground and in the air”

      Image Source: JetBlue

      JetBlue’s mission statement is clear and broad. This proves that your mission statement does not need to be tied to the specific case your company is involved in. inspirational statement focused per audience.

      This creates an instant connection with readers, which should come as no surprise given their history of personal marketing and creativity.

      JetBlue advertises itself as a group of people dedicated to serving people in the airline industry. Their mission statement is accurate because it reflects the company’s personality and branding.

      2. Tesla 🚘

      “Accelerate the transition to sustainable energy”

      Video source: YouTube

      Tesla aims to improve the use of sustainable energy around the world . Therefore, it should not be surprising that her policy statement reflects this. Also, the use of the word “speed up” makes this statement perfect.

      The Mission Statement focuses on Tesla’s core goal: providing the public with clean energy vehicles, while recognizing the transition from fuel to sustainable energy.

      Recognizing that their market is relatively young, distinguishes as having a great mission statement.

      3. TED 🗣

      “Spread Ideas”

      Image Source: TED Talks

      TED’s mission statement is as simple as Coca-Cola’s. And that makes it stand out on our list.

      While it’s ironic that a media company that hosts so much amazing content has a two-word mission statement, it’s matches the branding exactly.

      TED helps you get brilliant ideas for free in the online world. Speeches are limited to eighteen minutes.

      It is this type of exchange of ideas that makes ted talks unique and special in American and world culture.

      4. LinkedIn 🤝

      “Connect professionals and make them more productive and successful”

      (Linkedin)

      (Loading)

      This organization’s mission statement is clear and descriptive , reflecting everything this social media platform does. And this is an association of professionals from different parts of the world.

      Their mission statement stands out in that it quickly and effectively reflects the main functions. LinkedIn puts a lot of emphasis on its platform users as they prioritize LinkedIn’s design strategy.

      5. Paypal 💰

      “Create the most secure, convenient and cost-effective payment solution on the Internet”

      Video Source: YouTube

      PayPal’s values ​​are focused on being a leader in FinTech and equalizing all financial services.

      This message is reflected in their mission statement, mainly due to the emphasis that this is one of the cheapest solutions in the world.

      Integrating Economic Efficiency and Security accurately reflects PayPal’s core mission of providing services that are not only affordable, but also protect people and advance the global economy.

      6. Amazon 📦

      “To be a customer-centric company in a world where consumers can find everything online and offer customers the cheapest prices”

      Video source: YouTube

      Amazon and Microsoft own the largest retail stores in the world.

      Over the years, it has grown to millions of merchants and consumers.

      Mission statement with a focus on customer service and low prices truly reflects what Amazon provides to its customers while highlighting just how big Amazon is and how far it goes.

      7. Asana 💻

      “Helping humanity thrive by allowing teams to work together seamlessly”

      Video Source: YouTube

      Asana’s warm and friendly marketing aligns well with the best mission statements.

      They have adapted a common technological setup for the transformation of the global information sector.

      However, they have brought the unique flavor of to this value by refocusing it on what they offer. Although this mission statement may seem vague, they narrowed the focus down to their motto and personalized their mission statement.

      8. Nike 👟

      “Bring innovation and inspiration to all athletes in the world”

      *If you have a body, you are an athlete”

      Video Source: YouTube

      Like Disney, Nike has always stood out in the world with a good mission statement for many reasons.

      However, one of them is the tone and style of their company’s mission statement.

      The use of a star or an asterisk is unusual. And it gives your audience something to think about. In addition, their message is inclusive. And it’s in line with well-known marketing trends when it comes to Millennials and Generation Z.

      9. Nordstrom🛍

      “Provide the best shopping experience for customers”

      Image Source: Nordstrom

      In a changing business world, Nordstrom has always maintained one thing: the pursuit of better customer service.

      Nordstrom has been in business for over a hundred years. And their mission statement has evolved along with the entire industry.

      Yet every word of their great mission statement says that it is is a customer oriented company, because they prioritize product style and quality. And not just investing in clothes.

      10. American Express 💳

      “We work daily to make American Express the most respected service brand in the world”

      Image Source: American Express its commitment to customer service.

      The mission statement is one of the best examples of the value they provide to their employees and customers.

      By putting customers and employees first, American Express has established itself as a respected brand throughout the world.

      11. Patagonia 🚵🏾‍♀️

      “Create a better product, do no harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis”

      Video source: YouTube

      This mission statement is amazing because it brings together all the elements that make this organization successful : the core value of the environment and the production of high quality products.

      Patagonia and WarbyParker are some of the organizations that focus on bottom line performance and giving back to society.

      That’s why their core value is the perfect balance of what makes an enterprise stand out. In addition, focusing on their product helps keep their mission valid and valid.

      12. Workday 🧑🏽💼

      “Put people at the center of enterprise software”

      security. And they strive for to stand out from their competitors.

      At the same time, she focuses on the HR software industry and makes a witty statement about people working in HR.

      This is a great statement that keeps an eye on the state of the industry and also upholds the values ​​of the organization.

      13. Life Is Good 🙌🏽

      Spread the Power of Optimism

      Life is Good is a brand that strives to spread optimism . With uplifting slogans like “Mostly Sunny” and “Seas the Day” , it’s easy for anyone to smile. There are many T-shirt manufacturing companies around the world.

      Video Source: YouTube

      However, Life is Good has gone to great lengths to make stand out from the crowd by using its mission statement to spread the power of optimism to the human spirit.

      The mission is quite unexpected if you don’t know about its public charity. So how can a T-shirt help in spreading optimism and smiles?

      Life is Good promotes the motto of a better everyday life and answers this question with links to programs to support it. This mission statement is not only lofty, but concrete – is a combination that is quite difficult to balance.

      14. Sweetgreen 🍎

      “Inspire healthy communities by connecting people to food”

      It’s not just framed as something your brand believes in.

      Inclusive language is used here.

      And it helps us know that the organization is focused on connecting a network of local and medical ingredient farmers with consumers because they are the ones who want more food options when it comes to healthy and locally grown products.

      The mission is to connect people . And that promise extended beyond the organization’s website and storefronts.

      Like IKEA, the team members made an effort to give back to the community by opening several stores.

      Her main focus is teaching young children about fitness, healthy eating, sustainability and the origin of different types of food. The organization also holds Music Festival , which attracts over 20,000 people annually.

      These people come together to eat healthy, listen to music, promote well-being and give back to society through their charity partner, FoodCorps.

      15. Honest Tea 🍵

      “Creating and promoting healthy, great-tasting organic beverages”

      Video Source: YouTube

      Like Warby Parker, Honest Tea’s mission statement begins with a simple phrase that says that tea is pure and real. This means it does not contain any harmful artificial chemicals.

      The brand speaks to an audience that has been trying to find high quality ingredients in tea but without good results.

      This organization not only has a good name, but also has a mission based on the name of the organization.

      For several years, the organization has published a report to be transparent about ‘s business operations and to realize its mission of creating the highest quality, great tasting organic beverages.

      I have a Mission Statement. Now what? 💁🏻‍♂️

      Once you’ve created your mission statement, you need to make sure you get it across to your team.

      After all, the last thing you want is to spend a lot of time and energy just to make your mission lose its impact.

      You need to meet with senior management and submit your mission statement. During the meeting, take questions and seek feedback.

      Once the company’s owners and executives have approved the mission statement, begin sharing it with the various departments in the organization.

      Incorporate mission statements into your posters and post them throughout your office. From time to time encourage employees who can quote the mission statement without having to read it 👏🏼

      This will be a great opportunity to reinforce the core values ​​of the organization by identifying and encouraging behavior that is in line with the stated mission.

      Your mission statement must be in line with established core values. Therefore, use this opportunity to reward employees who bring the company’s goals to life.

      Positive reinforcement helps spread the word about the mission statement and also boosts morale.

      As a result, the culture of the organization will be attractive to everyone. When you are consistent, your organization will be on its way to meaning and purpose.

      This article was written by James Murphy. James is a blogger, email marketing expert and writer. He is passionate about his work and has gained in-depth knowledge of technology and marketing. When he is not at work, he spends time with his wife and two adorable kids.

      How to Write a Personal Mission Statement (40+ Examples) • BUOM

      By Indeed Editorial Team

      November 17, 2021

      A Personal Mission Statement can help you define your values ​​and goals by identifying what matters most to you. you professionally. It also makes decision making easier as it makes it clearer if the decisions you are making are in line with what you want out of your life.

      A personal mission statement does require a significant amount of time and effort to create, although once it is completed it will bring substantial returns. In this article, we will discuss in detail what a personal mission statement is and how you can write one for yourself, as well as 40 examples you can use for inspiration.

      What is a personal mission statement?

      A personal mission statement is a statement that defines your values, who you are, and how you define success. A personal mission statement can be used to make decisions and help you stay focused on achieving your long-term goals. A personal mission statement creates boundaries that make decision making easier, as it’s easier to see if your decisions are in line with your long-term goals.

      Why is it important to have a personal mission statement?

      Having a personal mission is important because it can act as a decision fence to decipher how you spend your time, how you interact with others, and how you do your job. Deciding what to do with your time is just as important as deciding what not to do with your time. For example, if you’ve been asked to complete a task that doesn’t fit with your mission, it’s best to refuse. Generally, having a mission to guide your career can help you achieve both short-term and long-term goals.

      Personal Mission Statements Examples

      Here are some examples of personal mission statements to help inspire you as you write your own.

      1. “Be a leader by encouraging innovative ideas and vision so that our team can create technology solutions that will improve the lives of others. ”

      2. “Use your writing skills to inspire and educate others around the world to change.”

      3. “Use your gifts as a public speaker to improve the self-esteem of people around the world.”

      4. “To inspire children to be more than they thought they could be.”

      5. “Be the leader of your team, live a balanced life and make a difference.”

      6. “Inspire others to do great things.”

      7. “To succeed in my journey through life and learn life lessons along the way.”

      8. “Be kind to others and to yourself.”

      9. “Create innovative healthcare solutions that improve the lives of others.”

      10. Help as many people as possible.

      11. “Be a teacher and inspire your students to be the best version of themselves.”

      12. “To help men, women and children find hope after loss.”

      13. “Giving joy to others around the world.”

      14. “Use your gifts to educate women around the world. ”

      15. “To positively impact the life of every person I meet.”

      16. “To inspire and encourage everyone I interact with on a daily basis.”

      17. “To create new opportunities for today’s youth.”

      18. “Encourage and enable others to live the life they want to live.”

      19. “Inspire change through learning.”

      20. “To equip others with the tools and resources to live the life they want.”

      21. “To support and uplift those around me.”

      22. “Give students the resources and attention they need to become confident and effective adults.”

      23. “To improve the quality of life of my patients.”

      24. “Creating stories that educate, entertain and inspire people around the world.”

      25. “Lifelong learning and inspiring others to do the same.”

      26. “Use your gifts to inspire others to do great things.”

      27. “To improve the well-being of people and businesses around the world. ”

      28. “Treat everyone I come into contact with love and compassion.”

      29. “Use your gifts and talents to improve the lives of others.”

      30. “To create innovative technological solutions that will improve the lives of people around the world.”

      31. “Use your gifts to improve the self-esteem and well-being of women around the world.”

      32. “Inspire others to live the life of their dreams.”

      33. “Create innovative medical technologies to improve patient outcomes in vulnerable communities.”

      34. “Offer support and inspiration to others through leadership and subject matter expertise.”

      35. “To be a source of hope by offering humility, optimism and support to everyone I meet.”

      36. “Bring beauty to the world through graphic design.”

      37. “To level the playing field so that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.”

      38. “Educate young minds and create compassionate, empathetic and industrious members of society. ”

      39. “Do the best job you can to help as many people as possible.”

      40. “To leave the world better than I found it.”

      How to write a personal mission statement

      Here are the steps you need to follow to write a personal mission statement:

      1. Write down what matters most to you

      Begin by thinking about who you are and who you are you want to be. Write down what is most important to you and what you are most passionate about. Think about what or whom you value most and how your life is connected to those people or things.

      2. List your most important goals

      Then take the time to reflect and write down your biggest personal and professional goals. Ask yourself what the “best” version of your life looks like, including your relationships, accomplishments, and career. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to get you started:

      • What qualities would you like others to attribute to you?

      • Where would you like to be in your career? (e. g. do you have a specific position? have you reached a certain level?)

      • What would you like to achieve professionally?

      • What would you like to achieve personally or in your community?

      3. Talk to your peers

      Talk to your peers and mentors and ask what they think are your greatest strengths. Think about what makes you exceptional compared to other people with similar skills. Think about how you want people to describe you. Write down a few words that you want someone to think of when they think of you.

      4. Decide on the legacy you want to leave

      Think about what kind of legacy you want to leave in the world and how your skillset can enable you to do so. Some questions you can ask yourself to get started include:

      • How specifically would you like the world to change when you leave it?

      • What do you hope to create, change or preserve that will last?

      • Who do you want to support with your unique skills and abilities, and how?

      • What skill set or knowledge base will help you achieve what you want?

      • What do you consider your goal?

      • What unique qualities, abilities, talents, and traits can you offer?

      • What mission or vision motivates you?

      Sample Personal Mission Statement

      A simple template to follow when writing a personal mission statement is to combine the following elements:

      “I will [action] for [audience] by [skills] to [desired result]”.

      For example:

      I will create, challenge and change the law for communities with barriers to preserve their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

      I will prepare innovative artistic pastries for everyday customers so that everyone can experience the joy of beautiful cooking.

      Use my gifts for women around the world to increase their self-esteem and wealth.

      How to use the personal mission statement

      Once you have completed your personal mission statement, it can be helpful to understand how you can use and apply it to your daily life.

      In your career

      Your mission in your career is to remember and start with why. Starting a new project, task, or program is often most successful when you first consider who you are doing it for, why you are doing it, and what the best end result looks like.

      Consider writing or printing your mission statement and displaying it in a frame or in a conspicuous place where you work. It can remind you of the value of what you do every day, and while your mission may require small and seemingly insignificant daily tasks, they contribute to a bigger picture that you can be proud of.

      It can also provide a framework for how you should spend your time each day. For example, if you find yourself working on something for an extended period of time that won’t help you ultimately complete your mission, consider why you’re doing it and whether you can change course.

      While looking for a job

      When looking for a job, identifying jobs and companies that somehow fit with your personal mission will help you find more interesting and fulfilling jobs. Make sure to research the company to determine if they are right for you and prepare a cover letter, resume and interview.

      On your resume and cover letter

      On your resume, it can be helpful to weave a statement of your personal mission into the title of your resume, whether you’re including a resume resume, a professional statement, or an objective statement. This can help employers understand your motivations and see if you are a good fit for their culture and company mission.

      Read more: How to write a resume that employers will notice

      In your interviews

      In an interview, employers are likely to ask you questions like, “Tell me about yourself,” or “Why do you want to work for this company?” or “What motivates you?” Using your personal mission statement as a guide to answering these questions can help you prepare a thoughtful and impactful response. Researching the company beforehand can help you identify the values ​​you share—be sure to include them in your response.

      Read more: How to Prepare for an Interview

      Tips for Writing a Personal Mission Statement

      Here are some additional tips to help you write a powerful personal mission statement.

      • Keep it short. Your personal mission statement should be just one sentence long. The goal is to focus only on the most important. To help you identify this, try writing five words that describe you and your purpose. Using this list of five words, try to write down two words that describe you and your purpose. Then think of one word and write it down. Use these words as inspiration to keep your personal mission statement concise.

      • Be true to yourself. Your mission should reflect your biggest passion and what you consider to be your long term goal. Know that you can make adjustments to your mission as you grow and continue learning.

      • Get feedback. Share your personal mission statement with the most important people in your life. They can provide you with important information to help you improve your application.

      Child protection | UN peacekeeping operations

      By protecting children, who have often known nothing but war throughout their lives, peacekeepers can break the cycle of violence and lay the foundations for lasting peace.

      Why are child protection issues central to peacebuilding?

      Armed conflicts disproportionately affect children. As the main victims of wars, many girls and boys are killed and maimed, recruited and used as child soldiers, sexually abused, abducted and denied access to humanitarian assistance. In addition, they are increasingly being targeted in attacks on schools and hospitals.

      In many conflict-torn countries, peacekeeping missions are the largest actors on the ground and their contribution to child protection is vital.

      The Security Council has dealt with this issue since the late 1990s, requesting the Secretary-General in resolution 1261 (1999) to provide “adequate training on the protection, protection of the rights and welfare of children for staff involved in United Nations efforts to establish peace, peacekeeping and peacebuilding”. The issue of protecting children in conflict has been included in the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations since 2001. In their tireless efforts to implement the child protection mandate, United Nations peacekeepers have, among other things, helped free thousands of child soldiers and provided vital technical support for legislative reforms to strengthen the national child protection system.

      How does United Nations peacekeeping protect children?

      Photo: MONUSCO

      Deployment of child protection advisers

      In resolution 1379 (2001) and subsequent thematic resolutions, the Security Council called for the inclusion of specific child protection provisions in the mandates of United Nations peacekeeping operations, as well as the deployment of advisers on child protection issues. (For more details, see Who are Child Protection Advisers below.)

      Child protection advisers are currently active in peacekeeping operations such as:

      • United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
      • United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)
      • United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA)
      • United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA)
      Mainstreaming child protection into mission

      Mainstreaming child protection is an approach to mainstreaming the protection of children in armed conflict into all aspects of United Nations peace operations, including strategies, policies, training and other activities. This approach allows the United Nations to use the entire staff of the mission and their various types of expertise, networks and existing capacities to provide more effective and comprehensive protection for children. Heads of peacekeeping missions play a critical role in ensuring that child protection principles and commitments are mainstreamed and integrated into all operational decisions, activities and processes within United Nations peacekeeping operations. All groups within a mission have an obligation to contribute to the protection of children. Child Protection Advisers work closely with other entities, such as the United Nations Police, Human Rights Section, Rule of Law Section, and military personnel, to ensure consistency and exchange of information related to serious violations against children . For example, in South Sudan, UNMISS from January 2018 to July 2019organized training and mainstreaming activities within the child protection mandate for more than 4,900 United Nations staff.

      Monitoring and reporting

      Monitoring and reporting on violations committed by armed forces and groups against children in armed conflict are the primary and primary responsibilities of child protection advisers. Observation and reporting on the strictest basis enable child protection officers to act as credible advocates for children and serve as the basis for analysis and recommendations. Child Protection Advisers contribute and fulfill reporting obligations under the Security Council mandated monitoring and reporting mechanism on serious violations against children, including general review notes; country reports of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (DCC); and the annual report of the Secretary-General on the issue of DCC. Systematic data collection supports national and international efforts to ensure that children and communities affected by serious violations of children’s rights are properly responded to, that perpetrators are held accountable, and that further violations are prevented by strengthening child protection. In 2020, the United Nations verified 4,030 violations in four countries where United Nations Child Protection Advisers operate. That same year, in South Sudan, UNMISS child protection officers participated in more than 160 patrols to verify cases of serious violations against children.

      For details, see Guidelines for Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism for Serious Violations of Children’s Rights in Armed Conflict. United Nations child protection advisers and teams are empowered and have the political space to engage with all state and non-state armed actors involved in serious violations against children. Child Protection Advisers anticipate and carefully plan opportunities to engage with parties to conflict on child protection issues.

      Photo: MONUSCO

      Over the past year, numerous action plans have been adopted and thousands of children have been released as a direct result of engagement with parties to conflict. For example, in 2020, 497 children in the Central African Republic were disengaged through dialogue with armed groups. In the same year, 44 children were released and reintegrated in South Sudan, 23 in Mali and 1,313 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

      Photo: MONUSCO

      Advocacy

      The head of the peacekeeping mission is the highest United Nations official in the country and is uniquely positioned to influence government to advocate for children. United Nations entities, NGOs, donors and other local and international actors also play a critical role in supporting and implementing action for the realization of the rights, well-being and protection of children. Child protection officers use evidence collected through monitoring and reporting processes to advocate for real and lasting change for children affected by conflict and their communities. In MINUSCA, direct advocacy by the Child Protection Section with armed groups resulted in the release of more than 8,600 children between January 2016 and June 2019of the year.

      Capacity Building for National Partners

      Child Protection Advisers and their teams work daily with national partners to strengthen their ability to overcome and address child protection issues. For example, in South Sudan, UNMISS deployed a child protection officer to the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to support the implementation of an action plan to end the recruitment and use of children. In the Central African Republic, MINUSCA is working with local authorities to help them effectively fulfill their child protection responsibilities, including reintegrating into communities children formerly associated with armed forces and groups and identifying early signs of serious violations against children. In 2020, 22 members of the Malian Defense and Security Forces and 152 police officers participated in training of trainers on the protection of children in armed conflict.

      Photo: UN, MINUSCA/Leonel GROTHE

      National Legal Reform

      Child Protection Advisers support and promote the development and adoption of new national child protection laws. For example, through the joint efforts of MINUSCA and other partners, the Central African Republic adopted a Child Protection Code in 2020 that criminalizes the recruitment and use of children and addresses other serious violations against children.

      Raising awareness

      Peacekeeping operations use their radio stations, events and campaigns to raise awareness of child protection issues and help identify ways to prevent serious abuses against children involved in conflict. For example, MONUSCO, together with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, launched a campaign called “Kadoga no more fighting” to prevent the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups. In the period from January 2018 to July 2019UNMISS provided training and outreach on national and international child protection laws and military command orders to more than 19,000 military and group members, community members and child protection partners. In 2019, MINUSMA launched the “Act to Protect Children Affected by Conflict” campaign in three regions to strengthen cooperation, partnerships and synergies among local, regional and international actors.

      Peacekeeper Training

      Child Protection Advisers provide mission-wide child protection training on a daily basis to ensure that every peacekeeper has the knowledge and skills to protect children. In addition, DOM is organizing a United Nations Specialized Educational Materials (STM) training course on child protection for United Nations military personnel for members of the armed forces who serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations and national trainers from troop-contributing countries.

      Our policy

      All personnel in United Nations peacekeeping operations are required not only to promote and ensure the rights of children in their work and in their interaction with national and local actors, but also to adhere to the highest international norms and standards, enshrined in legal instruments and guidelines for children’s rights and respect them.

      The 2017 DPKO/DFS/DPPA Child Protection Policy in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations defines the roles and responsibilities of all relevant United Nations stakeholders, including the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), in the protection of children affected by armed conflict in the context of the deployment of United Nations field missions.

      DOM is guided by the principles of complementarity and coherence in the implementation of the child protection mandate in United Nations peace operations and coordinates closely with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict (SRSG-DVK), the United Nations Children’s Fund ( UNICEF), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and other relevant United Nations entities.

      Our Manual

      The DOM/DPPA Guide for Child Protection Officers in United Nations Peace Operations complements the 2017 DPKO-DPPA-DPPA Child Protection Policy in United Nations Peace Operations. The manual is a practical guide for civilian child protection officers in United Nations field missions in the core implementation of the child protection mandate. It is designed to strengthen the capacity of United Nations field mission child protection officers in their specific responsibility to protect and promote the rights of children in armed conflict.

      Who are Child Protection Advisers?

      While every member of a peacekeeping operation, including military and police personnel, has a role to play in the protection of children, peacekeeping missions must be adequately resourced to fully and effectively fulfill their child protection mandates, including through the early deployment of protection advisers children and child protection officers (A/74/19). Child Protection Advisers are dedicated staff members of United Nations field missions who assist them in fulfilling their child protection mandates. Their work includes, inter alia:

      • advising senior mission leadership, including SRSG/heads of military components, force commanders and police commissioners, on child protection issues and related measures to be taken, including through mediation and efforts for national reconciliation;
      • monitoring grave violations committed against children in situations of armed conflict, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions;
      • Co-chair with UNICEF of the Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CMORT) at the technical level, when established, and provide support to the Head of Mission or senior management of the mission under the co-chair of UNICEF with the UNICEF Representative of the COIRT at the substantive level;
      • dialogue with parties to the conflict aimed at the signing and implementation of action plans approved by the Security Council to end and prevent serious violations against children;
      • facilitating the release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and armed groups through action plan dialogues, peace negotiations and peace agreements, as well as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs or other relevant processes;
      • call for protective, preventive and remedial measures for other child rights violations identified by the mission as key child protection concerns, including, for example, child security detention and school use for military purposes;
      • preparing and providing guidance and advice on child protection issues, tools and methodologies to other components and sections of United Nations peacekeeping operations;
      • Liaising with the specialized agencies of the United Nations and other entities involved in child protection and providing specialized technical expertise to fulfill the child protection mandate.

      How do we change the situation for the better?

      Photo: MONUSCO

      Deployment of child protection advisers to United Nations peacekeeping missions has improved missions to address child protection issues at both the political and operational levels, with concrete results on the ground:

      • Through policy advocacy by peacekeeping missions and their child protection advisers, child protection concerns have been mainstreamed into peace processes (eg in the Central African Republic and South Sudan).
      • With the support of the child protection sections of peacekeeping missions, and in partnership with UNICEF and national child protection actors, thousands of children have been released from armed forces and groups in various peacekeeping settings since the deployment of the first child protection advisers in 2000 year. In 2020, 1,877 children were released in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan.
      • The total number of serious violations against children decreased from 3671 (in 2018) to 3065 (in 2019) (-16.5%) in five missions where child protection advisers were deployed.
      • United Nations child protection officers trained thousands of military and civilian peacekeepers on child rights and protection. For example, in UNMISS, from January 2018 to July 2019, the Child Protection Section provided training and activities to mainstream the child protection mandate for more than 4900 United Nations staff. Often deployed in remote and hard-to-reach areas, these peacekeepers act as the eyes and ears of child protection advisers and officers. They provide them with notifications and information about violations of the rights of the child and prevent new violations against children by parties to the conflict.

      Find out more in our 2020 one-page white paper (in English and French) and quarterly newsletter.

      Child Protection in Action: Voices from the Field

      Child Protection in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

      Dee Brillenburg Wurth is a former Senior Child Protection Adviser in MONUSCO, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

      Could you tell us about your work as Senior Child Protection Adviser?

      I managed a team of approximately 30 child protection officers who monitor and report on child rights violations on a daily basis. The information they collect is analyzed and included in the statistics of the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MORM). Statistics are essential, but it is important to never forget that every child we report has a story about what happened before the violation occurred, during the violation and after it. This information helped us to understand the dynamics and nature of violations, to get an idea about the perpetrators and their methods. This helped us develop preventive measures. For example, the recruitment of children by armed groups continues to be a huge problem. The analysis helps us understand how different armed groups operate, from which we can develop targeted preventive measures, as well as interact with leaders based on deep knowledge of their methods of operation. There are many armed groups in the DRC, about 40-45. When communicating with the commanders of the armed groups, I used the information we collected through the MNO as part of our propaganda activities. In some cases, we brought with us fact sheets that contained information about the trends and patterns of violations against children committed by the group in question over the years.

      Significant progress has been made in the DRC in addressing the problem of child recruitment by government forces. When we first launched the action plan, some told me that the parties to the conflict would never stop recruiting children. I thought it was possible. Now we all know that it is possible.

      “Statistics are essential, but it’s important to never forget that every child we report has a story to tell.”
      Di Brillenburg Wurth

      Links to websites on the Internet that contain interviews with child protection advisers and stories about their activities:

      • childrenandarmedconflict. un.org/protecting-children-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the -congo
      • minusca.unmissions.org/la-minusca-plaide-pour-la-protection-des-droits-des-enfants-centrafricains
      • minusca.unmissions.org/en/capacity-building-address-serious-crimes-against-children

      Development of child protection training standards for all peacekeepers

      Pre-deployment training is essential for all military personnel involved in peacekeeping operations. The United Nations Secretariat and troop- and police-contributing countries are working together to ensure that all civilian and military personnel are fully trained in their child protection roles and responsibilities (see A/74/19, para. 123) prior to their deployment, including through preparation based on specific conditions and scenarios. DOM has developed new advanced training standards for United Nations military and police personnel. Specialized child protection training materials for United Nations military personnel and specialized child protection training materials for United Nations police personnel instruct non-civilian United Nations personnel on how to prevent and report violations against children, how to interact with other actors involved in child protection issues, as well as raising the awareness of non-civilian personnel on how to deal with children.

      Security Council resolutions

      • resolution 2427 (S/RES/2427(2018))
      • resolution 2225 (S/RES/2225(2015))
      • resolution 2143 (S/RES/2143(2014))
      • resolution 2068 (S/RES/2068(2012))
      • resolution 1998 (S/RES/1998(2011))
      • resolution 1882 (S/RES/1882(2009))
      • resolution 1612 (S/RES/1612(2005))
      • resolution 1539 (S/RES/1539(2004))
      • resolution 1460 (S/RES/1460(2003))
      • resolution 1379(S/RES/1379(2001))
      • resolution 1314 (S/RES/1314(2000))
      • resolution 1261 (S/RES/1261(1999))

      COVID-19 and Child Protection

      On June 1, 2020, the Department for Peace Operations (DOP), Save the Children, and the governments of Niger and Uruguay co-hosted a high-level virtual side event on the theme of “Child Protection Mandate during a Pandemic” COVID‑19: Shared Responsibility in United Nations Peace Operations”. As part of the event, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, United Nations Military Adviser for Peace Operations Lt.