Spare children from bearing the brunt of wars

People of all ages are affected when a country comes under armed conflicts or other cataclysms. But children are the more susceptible to the majority civilian casualties as violence and bloodshed become a daily occurrence in these counties.

Of all the saddest is that even when the world has been fighting the coronavirus pandemic, warring parties in war-torn countries did not spare even innocent children and continued maiming and killing them.

Despite warnings from health experts and social organisations about the lasting impact on the emotional, cognitive, behavioural and physiological health of children, wars take a brutal toll on children, denying them of their basic rights.

We cannot forget the harrowing tale of a young boy living in the Afghan province of Mazar who lost his hand after opening an item that he found in front of his school and brought it home. When he tried to open it, the item exploded, wounding him and his cousin. After days in a hospital, he found he lost his hand.

There are thousands of children like this boy who have come under either direct attack, killed, disfigured or recruited to be groomed as a fighter or even used as human shields. There are thousands more who are sexually assaulted or subjected to forced marriage or abduction. Many orphaned children even simply do not know who they are or where they are from!

No doubt, the world has made incredible progress as far as the security and rights of the children are concerned. Still much more is required to be done to prevent wars, and to end the many disastrous armed conflicts devastating children’s lives.

Look at Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Nigeria, DRC, Mali, CAR, Iraq, and Sudan – the most perilous countries which are embroiled in either internal or international conflicts. The futures of millions of children living in these countries are at risk. But children living through these crises-hit countries are among the least likely to be guaranteed their rights.

It is a repeat of history that countries in conflicts, even groups in that matter, have been committing atrocities on children without any impunity. And the fact is that it is only getting worse.

Afghanistan, where, reports indicate that children were the worst hit in the first few days of the resurgence of fighting when nearly a dozen of them lost their lives.

Yet even as the war game continues in many parts of the world, world leaders fail to hold perpetrators accountable. Global bodies including the United Nations should ensure that bombarding or use of weapons that can kill people en masse should be avoided in thickly-populated areas.

The international laws and agreements should further be armed to ensure that warring groups protect children and end violations against them.

If the world keeps a Nelson’s eye towards the children, their families and their communities, they will continue to suffer the devastating consequences, not only for now but for years to come. And the attacks on children must end and their rights should be protected.