Since the beginning of the movement in 1960, the world has undergone considerable changes.  Remarkable advances in science as well as progress in public health have meant that infantile mortality has been halved and the world life expectancy rate has increased by 20 years.

As from 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child has been signed and ratified by most countries, which means that the fundamental rights of children are now legally recognized.

However, one of the shortcomings of this convention is the absence of effective sanctions against entities and individuals who violate its articles, or who are in charge of applying it but neglect to do so.

Now that the world is no longer divided between two antagonists and that new communication technology has spread so widely, the globalization of exchange has expanded, bringing about a two-tier society.

As a result, as we reach the turn of the millennium, the wage gap is now at its highest level in the last 100 years.

All over the world, the social role of public authorities is being questioned, due to the necessities of profits and budgets.  An increasing number of governments reduce their social programs and delegate certain tasks to non-governmental institutions or individuals or withdraw from others.

At the same time, developed countries reduce their budgets for development aid.

Under the pressure of their demography rates as well as due to other unfavorable factors, the economic results of the majority of nations in the southern hemisphere and in the former east block are still very weak.

Conflicts originating from a mixture of identity differentiation are increasing in numbers world-wide.  Entire regions of the planet disregard law.  The number of refugees or displaced persons, most of them being women and children, is increasing. Several criminal organizations reached multinational dimensions.

In spite of the progress made in public health and research, access to health services and care is non-existent or insufficient for the most needy. Over 350 million children still suffer from famine. Each year, 12 to 13 million children under 5 die (55% of malnourishment, 3.6 million from acute respiratory infections, and 3 million from diarrhea). More than 350,000 children die from AIDS.  More or less the same number become orphans, due to this disease.

The number of children abandoned, living in the streets, traumatized either physically and/or psychologically by violence, enslaved, victims of dealing, mistreated or sexually abused, is horrific.