International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is a United Nations observance held on June 4 every year with the motive to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse.
The General Assembly on its 31st plenary meeting on 19 August 1982, having considered the question of Palestine at its resumed seventh emergency special session, “appalled at the great number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel’s acts of aggression” decided to commemorate 4 June of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.
Sadly, children are among the most innocent victims of pain and suffering. Throughout the world, many children live in areas where war and conflict is a part of their everyday life. The six most common violations are recruitment and use of children in war, killing, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.
In recent years, the number of violations perpetrated against children have, in many conflict zones, increased. More needs to be done to protect the children living in countries and areas affected by conflict. More must be done to protect children from targeting by violent extremists, to promote international humanitarian and human rights law, and to ensure accountability for violations of the rights of children.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides us with the universal masterplan to secure a better future for children. The agenda includes 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.
Notably, emotional, physical, sexual and mental abuse is also a reality for millions of children throughout the world. Child rights violation constitutes some of the most under recognized and under reported forms of violence in the world, yet it is pervasive in every strata of society.
According to the World Health Organization, children in low and middle-income countries are more than twice more likely to die as a result of homicide than children in high-income countries. Differently abled kids who are unable to fend for themselves, those who belong to the minority groups, who live on the streets, and child refugees are particularly vulnerable to different forms of aggression.
Boys experience a higher risk of physical violence, while girls face a greater risk of sexual violence, neglect, and forced prostitution.
Children are the designers of a better, sustainable tomorrow. Protection and promotion of the rights of children have inherent preventive power. Conversely, grave violations of child right weaken efforts to achieve sustainable peace.
As individuals, we must take initiatives for eliminating the violence against our children, and also abstain from both intentionally and unintentionally committing acts of violence. And also demand from governments and administrative units of the society to take constructive, just, and quick action against violence committers.
Always remember, bruises can heal, but the real hurt is concealed. So, don’t let any child be abused.
We must provide our children a better place where there is no violence, and justice is given promptly.