The Rwanda Stock Exchange has partnered with UNICEF to bring children’s rights into investment decisions, becoming Africa’s first exchange to join a global child-focused campaign.
The initiative forms part of the inaugural Ring the Bell for Children campaign, coordinated by UNICEF and the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (UN SSE) initiative ahead of World Children’s Day on 20 November.
Rwanda joins stock exchanges in 25 countries across five continents in encouraging businesses, investors and financial institutions to consider how their decisions affect children’s lives.
The campaign, held under the theme My Day. My Rights. My Future., seeks to extend the consideration of children’s rights beyond government policies and social programmes into corporate governance, financial markets and investment strategies.
Children account for almost 45% of Rwanda’s population, making their wellbeing an important consideration in the country’s economic development.
While children are rarely directly involved in investment decisions, they can be affected by corporate employment practices, supply chains, infrastructure development, environmental policies and the products businesses provide.
Rwanda Stock Exchange Chief Executive Officer Pierre Célestin Rwabukumba said investment decisions have consequences that extend beyond financial performance.
“Children are important measures of our success, but behind every investment, there is a broader story. A company that raises capital may expand its operations, create jobs, and support families. An investment in infrastructure can improve access to essential services, and growing business can create opportunities in communities where they are needed most,” he said.
The partnership aims to encourage listed companies and investors to recognise children as stakeholders whose interests should be considered alongside financial and operational objectives.
This approach includes examining how business activities affect children’s safety, education, health, development and living conditions.
UNICEF Representative in Rwanda Lieke van de Wiel said decisions made in corporate boardrooms can have a significant influence on children’s wellbeing.
“Children may not be present in boardrooms or investment committees, but the decisions made in those spaces have a profound impact on their lives and futures,” she said.
“From the products businesses put on the market to their employment practices, supply chains and environmental footprint, children are affected by business decisions every day.”
The campaign comes amid continuing challenges affecting children in Rwanda.
According to figures highlighted by UNICEF, 26.8% of adolescents aged 15 to 17 and 11.9% of children aged five to 14 experience multidimensional poverty.
This means they face disadvantages across several areas of wellbeing, including education, healthcare, water, sanitation and housing.
These figures demonstrate why economic growth alone does not necessarily guarantee improved living conditions for children.
The Rwanda Stock Exchange and UNICEF are encouraging companies to consider these wider social outcomes when evaluating business practices and investment decisions.
The initiative also introduces the concept of child-responsive investment, which involves assessing the potential benefits and risks that commercial activities create for children.
For example, businesses may need to consider whether their supply chains expose children to harmful labour practices, whether workplace conditions support employees with caregiving responsibilities, or whether infrastructure investments improve access to essential services.
Investors can also examine how companies identify, manage and report risks affecting children.
The campaign coincides with the planned introduction of the UN SSE–UNICEF Model Guidance on Applying a Child Lens to Business and Investor Practices.
The guidance will provide recommendations for stock exchanges and listed companies on identifying and disclosing child-related impacts, risks and opportunities.
It builds on UNICEF’s Child-Lens Investing framework, which was recognised by TIME magazine as one of its Best Inventions of 2024.
Further training is expected to be available through the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Academy, with an online course planned for December 2026.
As Africa’s first participating stock exchange, Rwanda intends to introduce the guidance to listed companies and issuers while encouraging wider engagement with child-responsive business practices.
The partnership will also explore further collaboration around World Children’s Day in 2027.
The initiative represents an expansion of environmental, social and governance considerations within financial markets by placing greater emphasis on how investment decisions affect children.
For businesses and investors, incorporating children’s rights into governance and investment assessments can help identify social risks, strengthen responsible business practices and support longer-term economic sustainability.
The Rwanda Stock Exchange and UNICEF partnership establishes a platform for these considerations to become part of discussions within the country’s capital markets.
Its longer-term impact will depend on how companies and investors translate the campaign’s principles into measurable business practices and investment decisions that improve outcomes for children.
