June 4th is marked worldwide as a reminder of the pain suffered by children throughout the world, mostly victims of abuse either mental, emotional and even physical. This was first made official on June 4th 2011.
In 1997 the General Assembly adopted 51/77 resolution on the rights of the child due to the casualties of war being greatly children.
This resolution reiterates the UN’s commitment to protect the rights of children. It is guided by the Convention on the rights of the child.
More than 250 million children are currently living in countries and areas affected by conflict, this goes to show that the large number would mean that these children are suffering from either mental and emotional abuse as a result of the crisis they are born into and have to live through. A normal childhood is but a fairy tale as they have assimilated to a life of uncertainty and daily losses where meals are scarce and health is overrated.
Children can be abused in a number of ways , such as being put to manual and tedious labor way above their age capacity they are either made to work on farms or in industries as unpaid labor, other instances are when young boys are carried off to compulsory army service against their will and trained in combat at tender ages. The young girls could be sold into sex rings where they are exploited and traumatized for life.
Emotional and mental abuse can arise for dysfunctional family setting, or broken homes leaving the kids scarred via verbal abuse or physical abuse sometimes even sexual abuse.
In most poverty margin district kids in the family are sold out in exchange for land or food or made to work as housekeepers to support the family, this makes them more advanced than their peers and shrivels up the Innocence of their childhood.
More still needs to be done especially the establishment and enforcement of laws that ban such infringement on child rights, followed by harsh punishments given out to perpetrators of such acts.
Children deserve to have wonderful childhood experience with everything that is needed for basic growth and development in a child’s life time. But factors such and poverty and conflict mitigate against a healthy and safe childhood causing most of these if not all the children more mental harm than any child is capable of bearing.
As child advocates and humanitarians, it is our utmost duty to create awareness on matters as this likewise reporting confirmed cases so the right authorities can handle them. We can also show support either by donating to causes that cater for children saved from such situations or sponsor relief packages to countries in conflict to reduce the strain on these children.