Children's Art for Social Issues

From boredpanda and kids4action.

Loizza Aquino, has created an online art project to give kids a voice about the social issues that matter most to them. Here are just a few of the powerful and insightful images that have been contributed so far.

Through #kids4action, children all over the world now have a digital gallery to share and interact around artwork based on stuff they care about. The creations can be on any topic such as bullying, animal cruelty, ecology, or human rights, and in almost any medium. When enough artwork has been collected Loizza, and other young artists, will use it to send a message to leaders and organisations to drive real change.

“I like helping others in any way. Age doesn’t really matter, whether you are young or old. Whether you do something big or small, everything matters. When I come home from school, I tell my family about my ideas and they support me with everything that I do. I usually go to my teachers and classmates for their input and opinions, so we plan initiatives together and try to find ways to get as many people involved as we can.

With the Children's Global Art Project, I hope to inspire other children across the world to speak up about child rights. I hope to see other young people engage and fight for human rights for our friends across the world."  - Loizza Aquino, creator of the Children's Global Art Project.

SydneyE, 15, cares about the environment

“I think it’s important that kids get to grow in a healthy environment and have a brighter future”

DJ2015, 13, wants children to be protected from war

“I don’t believe that children should have to go to war if they are under 16. I think this is important. Children should not be forced to fight and risk their lives.”

Loizza, 15, cares about mental health care

“Far too many children suffer around the world and have experiences, both emotionally and physically that they do not deserve to feel. Lives can be cut short because of a lack of attention, whether it is mental or physical. It is simply unfair to let our children feel sick and not give them the best resources we have to help them get better. No child should have to go through depression alone and untreated, no child should go through any illness alone and untreated." 

JuliaB, 13, thinks people everywhere should have access to education

“In some countries children can’t go to school and won’t get the proper education they need. Even some adults have never been to school. This is wrong. Everyone around the world has a right to education.”

Ezra, 12, wants to end slave labour

“I believe that you have the right to choose your own religion and beliefs. Who would want to live in a world where you could die if you don’t believe something you don’t know, or think is true? Children face discrimination every day for believing in their own religion.”

EllaA, 12, wishes people everywhere were free to worship in their own way

“I believe that you have the right to choose your own religion and beliefs. Who would want to live in a world where you could die if you don’t believe something you don’t know, or think is true? Children face discrimination every day for believing in their own religion.”

AmikaA,12, believes everyone should be loved for who they are

“My picture shows a group of people together inside a heart. I drew this to represent love and equality between people”

IvyL, 16, has something to say about human rights

“Why is ‘the right to be alive’ on the list of human rights? Shouldn’t that be obvious? There are many kinds of people in the world who have been killed just for being themselves – for belonging to a different culture, for believing in a different religion, for having a different shade of melanin in their skin. Their lives are snipped short just for being born the way they are. The blossoming, vibrant flowers are a metaphor of the diversity of us human beings. We all deserve to grow out our petals and bloom into our own full potential. We all deserve to be alive."

HanaG, 8, illustrated the human right to an identity

“I made this creation because I wanted to show that I have a right to the identity of Canada and Japan”

SaraG, 6, made a creation about her right to be with her parents

“In the picture there’s a tree, and a dog, and me and my mom and my dad.”

MariaG, 14, wants to end human trafficking

“I decided to illustrate selling through the girl’s dress – by drawing it as a bar code. The girl has a price tag choking her neck, not only to show that she is being sold, but to show that she is being trapped. The colours flowing out of her eyes are the light and happiness within her, which are being drained. She is faceless to show that she has no identity or value – and to show that this could be any girl – anyone taken advantage of.”