World Day of War Orphans is observed annually on January 6 to highlight the problem of children who lost their parents during a conflict making them the most vulnerable and disadvantaged group of society.
Context
World Day of War Orphans is observed annually on January 6 to highlight the problem of children who lost their parents during a conflict making them the most vulnerable and disadvantaged group of society.
- In the COVID-19 pandemic, World Day of War Orphans 2022 has taken even more relevance as the global disasters are sure to have a greater impact on orphan children.
Background
- The World Day of War Orphans was founded by a French Organisation SOS Enfants en Detresses to give the worldwide community an opportunity to address the difficulties faced by orphan children all over the world.
- The problem has now further evolved into a global humanitarian and social crisis that is worsening day by day.
Facts about Orphans
- As per UNICEF, the estimated number of total orphans increased from 1990-2001. However, since 2001, the estimated number of total orphans has declined consistently - at a rate of only 0.7% per year during that period.
- 1990: 146 million
- 1995: 151 million
- 2000: 155 million
- 2005: 153 million
- 2010: 146 million
- 2015: 140 million
- UNICEF estimates that there are nearly 9,00,000 children in the Northeast, all of whom have been seriously affected by the war, either through a lack of education, food, shelter, or direct injury.
- Children are often neglected, therefore World Day of War Orphans is observed every year to remember these children and remind them of the responsibility to work hard to diminish the shadow of war so that no one will be an orphan within the motherland.
Significance
- Civilians in several nations around the world have been the victims of war. Amongst them, children are the silent victims.
- As per UNICEF, approx. 140 million orphaned children existed in 2015 and for the period between 1990-2001, the numbers of orphaned children have only increased.
- The number of children who have grown up in war zones is in villages. These orphan children are forced to take care of themselves and of their siblings as well.
- World Day of War orphans is observed every year to highlight the plight of the orphans and also to remind us that every child must be cared for.
- Displaced children are a big part of IDPs (International Displaced Persons) who are forced to leave everything - including their homes, places of work, and possessions.
- It is important that they don't suffer and die of hunger and disease.
- World Day of War Orphans 2022 marks a reminder of the issues that are faced by such children and to remind the world governments of their responsibility to ensure that such kids get equal access to educational and health facilities.
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund(UNICEF)
- United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund is a special program of the UN devoted to aiding national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children.
- It was created in 1946 to provide relief to children in countries devastated by World War II.
- It is headquartered in New York City.
- After 1950, it directed its efforts toward general programs for improvement of children’s welfare, particularly in less-developed countries and various emergency situations.
- It was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1965.
- Since 1996 UNICEF programs have been guided by Convention on Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.
- It supports immunization programs for childhood diseases and programs to prevent spread of HIV/AIDS.
- It also provides funding for health services, educational facilities and other welfare services.
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