Universal Children's Day in Australia is celebrated every year on the fourth Wednesday in October as part of Children's Week, an event focused on the rights of children. The United Nations General Assembly initially proclaimed Universal Children's Day to be observed on November 20, but Australia chose to celebrate it in October. Before 1977, each state in Australia selected its own dates for Children's Week, but in the 1980s, the Commonwealth government encouraged a unified celebration, providing financial support to states and territories. Since then, Children's Week begins on the Saturday before Universal Children's Day and concludes on the following Sunday. The holiday has had a permanent theme since 1996, “A Caring World Shares,” which emphasizes actions for children's rights and improving their living conditions.