In 1989, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a milestone that recognizes children as individuals with their own needs, interests, and rights. This convention applies worldwide, yet many people – including children themselves – know surprisingly little about it.
In Switzerland, a unique initiative is working to change that: KIDIMO, a web app co-created with children, introduces six- to twelve-year-olds to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in a playful and interactive way. It helps them understand and assert their rights through exploration and engagement. Using an avataravatar, they design themselves, children can dive into three thematic worlds covered by the rights in the Convention: the World of Protection, the World of Provision, and the World of Participation.
Each world offers scenes drawn from everyday life that highlight specific children’s rights – from basic needs and family-related rights in cases of separation or divorce to opportunities for participation and having a say in decisions. KIDIMO also addresses important health-related topics, including access to medical care, mental well-being, and the rights of children in medical settings and hospitals. Throughout the app, users are directed to existing national support services should they need help or further information in a difficult situation.
KIDIMO is the result of an extensive participatory process. Led by OST – the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, more than 170 children and over 60 professionals have contributed to its design and development. The project is supported by a strong network of leading Swiss organizations committed to child protection and children’s rights, including PH Lucerne, UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the Swiss Ombudsman Office for Children’s Rights, Pro Juventute, Terre des Hommes Suisse, Integras, éducation21, PACH Foster and Adoptive Children Switzerland, Procap, and Pro Infirmis. Additional partners such as Pro Junior Schaffhausen Thurgau and Kinderschutz Schweiz have provided materials for use within the app.
Through a variety of scenes and games, KIDIMO helps children explore and understand their rights in an interactive way.
To complement the web app, the interdisciplinary project team has developed accompanying educational materials that show how KIDIMO can be used in classrooms, in open child work, and by professionals in child protection. These resources are also relevant for hospital education, as they cover rights related to health and healthcare.
The KIDIMO project team together with representatives of the partner network at the launch of the web app.
KIDIMO is free to use and currently available in three languages (German, French, and Italian) at https://kidimo.app. Continuous updates are planned, and funding for an English version is underway.
Authors: Matthias Baldauf & Selina Ingold, OST – Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, St.Gallen
Please, get in touch with us: hallo@kidimo.app
