Family-friendliness in Germany: Children's rights in the Basic Law?

Family-friendliness in Germany: Children's rights in the Basic Law?

On October 30, 2025, children's rights will be the focus of an event entitled "Have a say! Germany is discussed", starting at 8:15 p.m. Moderator Christian Orth will be joined by high-profile guests such as Katharina Schulze, the leader of the Green Party in the Bavarian state parliament, the head of the family and family policy department at the German Youth Institute, Dr. Christina Boll and Dr. Laura Schlichting, press spokeswoman for the Association of Large Families e.V., will discuss the situation in Germany. The whole thing is accompanied by the results of a survey which shows that only around a third of those surveyed find Germany to be child-friendly. These circumstances are also a reaction to the current demands for more attention to children and the stronger anchoring of their rights in the Basic Law, such as NDR reported.

The pressure is growing because the survey shows that many women are demanding greater social attention to children's issues. A discussion about anchoring children's rights in the Basic Law is urgently needed, because implementation would require at least two thirds of the Bundestag members to take the specific needs of children into account. The Children's Rights Alliance warns that children must receive legal protection in order to be supported in their development.

Decrease in well-being

Current reports show a worrying picture: According to the UN children's fund Unicef, Germany has fallen to 25th place internationally when it comes to child welfare. In addition, life satisfaction among young people deteriorated noticeably between 2018 and 2022. While 75% of young people were satisfied in 2018, this figure fell to 68%. This not only calls for changes in family policy, but also puts the health of our society to the test.

The demographic change is also reflected in the birth rates: In Germany, the average birth rate is 1.35 children per woman, which is just below the EU average of 1.38. In addition, mothers are on average 31.8 years old when they give birth, while fathers are 34.7 years old. This development is a challenge for the future of our society.

A call to responsibility

Celebrities support the causes: Actress Katja Rieman draws attention to the responsibility that a society owes to the weakest, especially children. Representatives like Peter-Matthias Gaede from Unicef ​​are also vehemently committed to including children's rights in the Basic Law. Personalities from politics and society, such as Heike Taubert, Finance Minister of Thuringia, and Michael Vesper, former minister, are calling for greater attention to the well-being of children. The need to enshrine children's rights is seen as necessary, especially since such points are even addressed in the coalition agreement.

In the upcoming discussion on October 30th, all interested parties are invited to share their opinions. Whether by phone, email or in the comments on YouTube - every single contribution can make a difference. The show will also be broadcast on various ARD platforms and is available on demand. It is time to focus on the future of our children and create a child-friendly society.