International Children’s Day is celebrated annually across the world on June 1. In 1925, the World Conference attended by 54 countries held in Geneva for the Well-being of Children declared June 1 as the day to draw the world’s attention to issues affecting children.
All children have equal rights and no child should be experienced discrimination. Like other human being children should not be judged by gender, color and beliefs as nationality, language, poverty or richness have no role in human dignity. Children deserve to have equal rights across the world.
Based on world statistics, millions of children are facing various problems from remote parts of the world to big cities where millions of children aged mostly under 5 lose their lives due to various diseases and having no access to healthcare and food.
Violence against children, child trafficking, and child rape are other problems facing children around the world. Protecting children and children’s rights are words that have not been used for a long time.
In Afghanistan, children are still facing lots of problems although there are several laws approved for the protection and rights of children as well as for the improvement of children’s health, education and prevention of misusing the children. Increasing poverty and illiteracy and low social awareness in connection with the education of children and others have brought considerable challenges for children in the country.
Child labor, sexual abuse, child deaths and injuries, child mortality due to preventable diseases, deprivation of education from education in remote areas, early marriages, and others are some of the biggest challenges facing Afghan children in Afghanistan.
Due to increasing poverty and unemployment in the country, most of the children are expected to work in order to provide for themselves and for their families. Street vendors, water carriers, cardboard collectors, shoe polishers, taxi solicitors, domestic servants, assistants in boutiques, are the kind of odd jobs done by Afghan children who are the most vulnerable segment of the Afghan society.
Children should have all the rights. Having shelter, living in a peaceful atmosphere and environment, growing up in the shadow of motherly love, proper nutrition, sufficient entertainment and happiness, enjoying healthcare facilities and feeling of physical and mental security and having the right to get education are considered as the most important rights that children should have.
It is time that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) pays particular attention to children facing with various challenges in the country particularly, in remote areas, work on plans with relevant national and international organizations working to support Afghan children to improve the situation of the children in the country, provide facilities for them to get better education and receive various vocational trainings.
Zarabi
Children; most vulnerable part of society
