I won't say too much about this. This UN report says it all. I am just shocked that it needs to be said and that a special commemorative day has to be created for it. Children are the most innocent victims here and it is particularly important that their lives become as normal as possible and as quickly as possible to help them to heal from the trauma associated with war, loss and displacement.
The following facts and figures are from the UN's website
In 2022, children continued to be disproportionately affected by armed conflict, and the number affected by grave violations increased compared with 2021.
- From January to December 2022, there was a 112 per cent increase in attacks on schools and hospitals, particularly in Ukraine, Burkina Faso, Israel, the State of Palestine, Myanmar, Mali and Afghanistan.
- In Afghanistan, the UN verified 95 attacks (72 on schools; 23 on hospitals), including attacks on protected persons.
- While non-state armed groups were responsible for 50 per cent of grave violations, government forces were the main perpetrators of the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access.
- Among the factors having the most severe impact was the use of explosive weapons, notably in populated areas, such as Gaza, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine and Yemen, which led to greater child casualties and damaged schools and hospitals.
Source: Report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict
The UN calls on Governments around the world to ensure that " inclusive, fair and equitable quality education is available among those in vulnerable situations, by taking all precautions to protect schools, learners and educational personnel from attack."
-From the UN's Protect Education Day site
To finish on a brighter note, here are some fun facts about literature for your next book week: https://www.facebook.com/share/Z9zCPDdqAjBJcV7M/?mibextid=WC7FNe
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