Children’s Authors and Educators Urge Action for Gaza’s Children and the Right to Protest

A growing number of children’s authors, illustrators, and educators are uniting to speak out against the devastating impact of violence on children in Gaza and the UK government’s use of anti-terror laws to curb peaceful protest.

The statement, prepared by award-winning children’s author and illustrator Chris Haughton and education advocate Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, calls on the public to stand in solidarity with children caught in conflict and to defend the right to speak out against injustice.

“Stories shape how children see the world,” the statement reads. “As authors and educators, we cannot remain silent while children suffer or while voices calling for peace are silenced.”

The initiative has already been widely welcomed, with signatures from leading figures in children’s literature and education. Organisers say the momentum reflects a shared belief across the sector: that children’s lives and futures must always come first.

The statement is open for more supporters, and all children’s authors, illustrators, educators, and those working with children are invited to sign.

👉 Read and sign the statement here

By adding your name, you join a growing chorus insisting that children deserve protection, compassion, and hope — and that those who advocate for them must be free to speak.