The world is waging war on its children, in an obscene mockery of international law
The Guardian
From Gaza to Ukraine, from Sudan to Myanmar, youngsters are being raped, abducted, maimed, killed and even recruited as soldiers.
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A Palestinian child carries empty containers to get food distributed by charities as Israeli attacks continue in Rafah, Gaza, on 25 January. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images.
Callous disregard for civilian lives and safety is a disturbing feature of modern armed conflict. From Ukraine and Gaza to Sudan and Myanmar, respect for the “laws of war” is being eroded or is non-existent. Non-combatants are deliberately targeted. Most shocking, and unforgivable, is the wanton harm – the UN term is “grave violations” – done to children.
In his latest report on children and conflict, UN secretary general António Guterres warned that children “continued to be disproportionately affected” by war-related violence and abuses. By this, he meant killing and maiming, rape, sexual violence, abductions, school attacks and recruitment of child soldiers. All were on the rise, he said. (...)
How shaming all this is. How truly shocking. That adults and nations choose to fight each other is normal, though regrettable. But a world war on children? How did it come to this?
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