New Delhi: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed on June 4 every year. The Day was first observed in 1982. The children across the globe are most vulnerable during any kind of armed conflict and are the worst sufferers of pain, physical, mental and emotional traumas which badly affect their overall growth and future.
A new report of the UN Secretary-General on Children and Armed conflict in Iraq released in April this year on its official website stated, “The children of Iraq continue to face grave violations, but recent engagements for the protection of children offer hope for a brighter tomorrow.”
The children of several countries are the victims of wars and other arms conflicts which put the worst effects on their mental and physical health.
"Even as the numbers look grim and worrisome, there is no denying the fact that the way India has dealt with the child rights issues in the past decade has given much teeth and momentum to the cause. Prompt and frequent intervention by central as well as state governments and law enforcement agencies is nabbing traffickers and abuses, and spreading awareness about child rights is a step in the right direction," said Manish Sharma, Director, Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
Sharma further said, "The fact that there has been a visible rise in the number of cases reported is a promising development too. But the challenges are aplenty and we cannot become complacent. We need to constantly step up our strategies and efforts to ensure that our children are in a safe, enriching, and just environment where they can grow and flourish. Even as we talk, too many children are being abused and exploited in some parts of the country and that needs to be stopped.”
Children who have been living in war zone countries like Russia-Ukraine and Gaza face mental stress. At the tender age, children have to undergo horrible experiences. They don’t venture out from their homes freely because of war. Effects of war leave scars on children's entire life. Sometimes they become orphans or separated from their family members.
Explaining about the post trauma of war in children, Prof. Naveen Kumar, Psychology, Delhi University, said, "The children who born or live in the war zone face long term mental trauma, emotional and health issues. During the war, children see unpleasant environment which put negative impact on their mental growth."
