The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child asserts that children are entitled to protection from cruelty and neglect, freedom from use as cheap labor or as soldiers, and the right to express their own opinions. In Bulgaria, unfortunately, most children and adults lack adequate knowledge or resources to effectively protect these rights.

Over 70 percent of Bulgaria's children grow up in families whose earnings are below the minimum living standard, while more than 40 percent live in extreme poverty. The needs of homeless children, abused children, Roma children suffering ethnic discrimination, children in under-funded state institutions, and children from low-income families are all urgent. The school drop-out rate has doubled over the past eight years, while the government allocation for child care services has remained flat.

In response to this situation, Partners-Bulgaria launched a nationwide program to improve the level of understanding concerning human rights for children. The My Rights, My Duties program focuses on participation in decision-making, non-discrimination for children with disabilities, and tolerance for ethnic diversity. The program has introduced training for primary school teachers and school advisors to increase the protection of children’s rights at school and build a culture of respect for the child. Partners-Bulgaria provides teachers with interactive teaching methods and educational materials. The booklet “I have got them! You have got them! We have got them!” originally published by Save the Children, is distributed to primary school children, and Partners-Bulgaria has created a training kit for teachers. Partners-Bulgaria is also working to building a network of organizations that work for the welfare of children.

Hundreds of Bulgarian schools now integrate children's rights into their curriculum, spreading the word to both students and adults. Partners-Bulgaria has received drawings, essays, handmade gifts, compositions, poems and stories from pupils in 45 schools around the country. In addition, photo exhibitions, concerts, drama performances and public debates related to children’s rights have been presented in schools. Research on the results of children’s rights education in Bulgaria has shown that now 91% of the educated children know their rights and can talk about them.