The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was agreed in 1989 and has been ratified by all European countries. Despite the commitment and intentions from state parties in Europe and different efforts from civil society, it has become evident that professional human resources dedicated to the development and promotion of children’s rights requires specialised education.

Higher university programmes are needed that promote:

Adult attitudes that recognize children as subjects of rights
Professional ethics that respect children as competent subjects
Children’s rights to resources and participation in decision-making

The European Network of Masters in Children's Rights brings together universities and other organizations involved in the promotion of the Rights of the Child, through the training of professionals working in the field of childhood. The Network of Masters in Children's Rights was founded in September 2004 in Berlin - the initiative to create ENMCR came from the regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean of Save the Children Sweden (SCS) and individuals in Europe devoted to the promotion and realisation of children's rights.

ENMCR cooperates with the Latin American Network of Masters in Children’s Rights, a network of nine universities that offer MA study programmes on childhood studies and children's rights in eight Latin American countries.