World Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

World Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed on June 4th by United Nations (UN) with an aim to acknowledge the pain, and suffering of the children who are the victims of physical, mental, and emotional abuse. The day was declared as the UN’s commitment to protecting the rights of children globally.

The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression celebrates the millions of individuals and organizations working to protect and preserve the rights of children. This day is a time for individuals and organizations all over the world to become aware of the impact of the monstrosity of abuse, in all its forms, against children.

It is also a time when organizations and individuals learn from or take part in awareness campaigns centered on protecting children’s rights. Relief programs are launched in war-torn areas on this date to help provide services, care, and protection for young people.

History

The day was established on 19 August 1982, when the entire focus was to acknowledge the suffering of the children throughout the world who are victims of physical, mental, and emotional abuse. UN in its emergency special session on the question of Palestine, the General Assembly, appalled at the great number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel’s acts of aggression, decided to commemorate June 4 of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.

This day affirms the UN’s commitment to protecting the rights of children. Its work is guided by the convention of the rights of the child, the most rapidly and widely ratified international human rights treaty in history.

This move aimed to highlight the sufferings of such children and to minimize their vulnerability through awareness. The day is to vindicate the rights of all those children who are exploited for commercial or sexual purposes, those who endure violence and abuse at home, at school, or in their immediate surroundings, or those who are neglected in aspects such as their health, education, nutrition, emotional development or safe living conditions.

There are various scenarios in which a child can become an innocent victim of an aggression act. Some of these include being caught in a scuffle between other children sometimes at school or near home, being stuck in a disagreement between parents which gets aggressive, being caught in a violent situation like a robbery, accident, shooting, or even a natural disaster.

Much can be done to prevent violence against children, including measures to tackle poverty and disadvantage, strengthening of child protection systems and legislation, and more awareness and education on child abuse prevention and intervention.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is an opportunity to remind ourselves of our duty to uphold the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child for each and every one of the 2.2 billion children in the world. All children, without exception, deserve to be protected against violence, exploitation, and abuse. All children need protection and safety at all times, they should only have to “worry” about playing, learning, and smiling.

Children are the future of this world and we should protect them. It is unbelievable that there are people that violate children and in many cases their own children. We should take care of children and protect them in any case.