(Aurora, Colo. – October 29, 2024) – Renowned children’s rights expert and chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, professor Ann Skelton will visit Colorado on Tuesday, October 29, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of International Children’s Rights. Professor Skelton will deliver a keynote address titled “Advancing Children’s Healthcare Rights through Advocacy” at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Skelton is a globally recognized expert in children’s rights law, with a distinguished career spanning academia, advocacy and international policymaking. Her visit to Colorado marks a significant opportunity to engage with the local community on the critical issue of children’s healthcare rights.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ann Skelton to our campus,” says Warren Binford, advocacy director and W.H. Lea for Justice Endowed Chair for Pediatric Law, Policy & Ethics. “Her contributions to children's rights are unparalleled, and her visit is particularly meaningful as we celebrate this significant milestone in the history of children's rights.”
Skelton’s address will explore the challenges and opportunities facing children’s healthcare and emphasize the role of advocacy in driving positive change. The presentation will highlight opportunities to ensure that all children have access to the healthcare they need to ensure the highest attainable standard of health as guaranteed under the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. This visit provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty and the broader community to learn about children’s healthcare rights and discuss strategies for improving children’s health and well-being through impactful advocacy.
"Here at Children’s Colorado, child health advocacy is a core part of our hospital’s mission to care for kids,” said Phuong Nguyen, MD, chair of pediatric plastic surgery at Children’s Colorado and the first associate vice chair of global surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “All children – whether here in Colorado or in communities across the world – need our advocacy and engagement to ensure they have access to the high-quality healthcare services they need to grow up healthy and strong. We are incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from Dr. Skelton’s expertise and experience so we can continue to collectively speak up for children and families from every corner of the globe.”
About Ann Skelton
Professor Skelton is the chairperson of the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child. She is a professor of law at the University of Pretoria and Leiden University, and a visiting professor at the University of Oxford and the University of Strathclyde. With a rich history of championing children’s rights through legal advocacy and policy development, Skelton’s insights will undoubtedly inspire and inform the audience.
For more information on Ann Skelton's visit and to attend the event, RSVP here or visit the Kempe Center’s website at www.kempecenter.org.
About Children's Hospital Colorado
Children’s Hospital Colorado is one of the nation’s leading and most expansive nonprofit pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation as recognized by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children’s Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including an academic medical center on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, hospitals in Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch and Broomfield and outreach clinics across the region. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About CU Anschutz Medical Campus
The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative education, science, medicine and healthcare. Located in Aurora, Colorado, CU Anschutz is the only academic health sciences center in the state and the largest in the Rocky Mountain region.
About the Kempe Center
Founded in 1972 by C. Henry Kempe, MD, the Kempe Center was the first academic center in the world focused on the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. It leads the field in providing evidence-informed clinical services, transformative research, learner-centered education, innovative program development and effective advocacy, all through an equity lens.
