Securing a better future for our children

Ranjan K Baruah

(With direct inputs from UN publication and feedback may be sent to bkranjan@gmail.com)

There is always an innocent bystander when there is conflict anywhere on earth. Conflicts may not be necessary, not only armed conflict, but there might be conflicts in mind that we see when there is violence or similar activities. Every day, children living in war zones across the globe are facing unspeakable horrors.

Children are not safe sleeping in their homes, playing outside, learning in school, or seeking medical care at hospitals. From killing and maiming, abduction, and sexual violence to attacks on education and health facilities and the denial of the humanitarian assistance that they desperately need, children are being caught in the crossfire of warring parties on a staggering scale.

There is alarming global data, as according to the summary of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Children and Armed Conflict Report published in 2023, over 8,630 children were killed or maimed; 7,622 children were recruited or used; 3,985 children were abducted; and 1,166 children were victims of sexual violence. There might be more, as many instances are not recorded.

Sexual violence in conflict is the most underreported grave violation for both girls and boys due to stigma and a lack of legal protection. 99% of sexual violence is perpetrated against girls, who are disproportionately affected by sexual violence and forced marriage. Boys are also victims of sexual violence or experience secondary trauma from becoming forced witnesses of sexual violence against family members.

Ending and preventing grave violations against children is central to the mandate on children and armed conflict. The most effective way to protect children from hostilities is to eliminate the push and pull factors that lead to their involvement in armed conflict.

There are global campaigns and activities going on against violence against children. On August 19, 1982, at its emergency special session on the question of Palestine, the UN General Assembly, “appalled at the great number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel’s acts of aggression,” decided to commemorate June 4 of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.

The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are victims of physical, mental, and emotional abuse. This day affirms the UN’s commitment to protect the rights of children. Its work is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history.

There is no doubt that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides us with a universal master plan to secure a better future for children. The new agenda includes for the first time a specific target (16.2) to end all forms of violence against children, and ending the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of children is mainstreamed across several other violence-related targets. It is a challenge for all of us to ensure rights for all children in the world.

Though many activities and programmes are going on, we need to do more. There may not be armed conflicts everywhere, but we have to ensure that there is no conflict anywhere so that children do not become victims of such conflicts. National governments must ensure safety and protection for all children, and there must be a programme to bring back positivity amongst children who have faced conflicts and violence in different parts of the world. Let us ensure that the dreams of kids are not shattered because of conflicts and violence.