UNDERSTANDING THE SUFFERING AND PAIN OF CHILDREN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF AGGRESSION: LALIT GARG

15-JUNE-ENG 13

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------------------Children are seen as the future of the country and the world. But their childhood future is surrounded by deep darkness and troubles due to the horror, tragedy and dreadful situations of continuous wars. Today's childhood is sinking into the world of violence, exploitation, sexual perversions, deprivation, neglect, addiction and crime. No one would have imagined that childhood would become so neglected, tortured, scary and horrifying. Why is childhood becoming so miserable? Why is childhood being so neglected? How have not only parents, but also society, government and the authorities of warring countries become so careless towards childhood? These questions are shaking us while celebrating the Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression on 4 June. The relevance of celebrating this day is being felt more in today's perspective. The purpose of this day is to acknowledge the suffering and pain of children who are victims of aggression, to reiterate the commitment of the United Nations to protect child rights, to raise awareness against abuse and violence against children in society, to make individual and collective efforts to prevent violence against children, to create a safe, violence-free and favorable environment for children and to spread awareness to protect the rights of children and keep them safe from violence. The United Nations started this day in 1982, when this day was declared after the atrocities on Palestinian and Lebanese children, while celebrating which we have to acknowledge the pain suffered by children all over the world, who are victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse. This day reaffirms the commitment of the United Nations to protect the rights of children.

Children constitute a quarter of the world's population and for the well-being of any society, children must be safe and protected. They are the most vulnerable members of society, who need to be given equal opportunities and protected to live a smooth, happy and successful life. But, every year a large number of children are victims of violence, displacement, disability and abuse due to conflicts and wars. This only proves that any conflict has a serious and deadly impact on children. Indeed, every day, children around the world are facing unspeakable horrors and tragedies due to long-running wars such as those between Russia and Ukraine, Gaza and Israel. They are not safe to sleep in their homes or play outside, study in school or receive medical care in hospitals. From murder and maiming, kidnapping and sexual violence to attacks on education and health facilities, these pose a serious challenge to the new world structure. Children are becoming targets of warring parties on a staggering scale.

In recent years, in many conflict and war zones, the number of violations against children has increased due to epidemics and natural disasters. More needs to be done to protect the 250 million children living in countries and regions affected by conflict, war, violence and epidemics. More efforts and resolutions are needed to protect children from being targeted by violent extremists, to promote international human rights law and to ensure accountability for violations of children's rights so that a better future for children can be secured and ensured. For the first time, the new agenda of the United Nations included a specific goal to eliminate all forms of violence against children and mainstreamed several other violence-related goals to end abuse, neglect and exploitation of children. Despite such events for the better life of children at the global level, childhood still remains neglected, tortured and hellish. The main reasons for this poor condition of children today are - government schemes being limited to paper only, indifference of the intellectual class and public representatives, the world's superpowers turning a blind eye to the burning issues of children, society being insensitive towards them and poverty - lack of awareness for education.

11,649 children were killed or became disabled in wars and similar situations. In most cases, explosive ordnance and landmines were used in populated areas, resulting in the deaths and maiming of children. 8,655 children were used in conflict and 4,356 abducted, with the highest numbers found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Nigeria. Nearly 30 percent of the victims were girls. 1,470 children were victims of sexual violence. Sexual violence in conflict is the most under-reported form of severe violence for both girls and boys due to stigma and lack of legal protection. More than 90 percent of sexual violence was committed against girls, who are disproportionately affected by sexual violence and forced marriage, although sexual violence against boys has also increased. Incidents of denial of humanitarian assistance increased by more than 32 percent from 2022 to 2023, often coinciding with an increase in other serious violations. By 2024, incidents of denial of humanitarian assistance are expected to decline in several contexts, particularly in humanitarian areas such as Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sudan. Particularly in Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sudan due to the adoption of restrictive rules that increase control over humanitarian organizations and personnel. By 2023, attacks on schools have increased by about 60 percent. Kofi Annan once said, ‘There is no trust more sacred in the world than the trust we place with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, their welfare is safeguarded, their lives are free from fear and deprivation and that they can grow up in peace.’

Eliminating and preventing serious violations against children is a core part of 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 them to join armed conflict. Children look very good when they laugh and smile. If children remain stress-free, an atmosphere of happiness is created all around. Have you ever thought that children also feel pain. This pain arises from any kind of exploitation, physical, mental and emotional. Children should be happy, healthy and safe. They should not be given any pain knowingly or unknowingly. The bright future of the country and the world is hidden in the happiness of children. Some sick minded people, i.e. pedophilia sufferers, derive pleasure in giving cruel mental and physical torture to innocent children and it becomes such an addiction for them that they keep inventing cruel methods of torturing children which include sex with children, hurting and cutting their bodies, burning them, even cutting them into pieces and eating their flesh. In some countries, children are tied to the backs of camels and the camels are made to run so that the people there derive joy and entertainment from the screams of the children, this is also an example of pedophilia. These cruel and inhumane conditions have a huge negative impact on innocent children and how can we imagine a strong world on these weak foundations?