Afghan children & World Children’s Day
Afghan children & World Children’s Day
The Hague, 20 November 2021
November the 20th, is observed in almost all countries as World Children’s Day. The Day was first observed in the year 1954 on 14 December by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The date of 20 November is deemed significant, as, on this day in 1959, the UNGA adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. On 20 November 1989, UNGA also adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The theme for World Children’s Day 2021 is ‘A Better Future for Every Child‘. The theme is being observed in accordance to the global coronavirus pandemic which has affected the rights of every child.
In Afghanistan is however, this year, no room for celebration of this day. Famine and high prices have taken the most basic necessities of life from children. Malnutrition has endangered the lives of more than a million children. Corona hospitals have been closed as the World Bank stops aid. In the state-run Sehat-e-tefl hospital in Kabul, they were forced to cut down trees to provide food for patients and doctors because the hospital does not have the money to provide fuel.
Teenage
girls are not allowed to attend school. Students at state universities are
deprived of education because the Taliban are since three months waiting a decision by clerics on an
Islamic education bill. Can Afghan children and youth celebrate World
Children’s Day in such a situation? It is a shame that the World is only
reluctant to recognize the Taliban regime. Even the promises of humanitarian
help directly to the people of Afghanistan has not been realized yet. Why the
Afghan children should suffer from malnutrition, hunger, lack of medication,
closed school etc? They had nothing to do with Doha Agreement, which caused the
collapse of the former regime and Taliban takeover!
The Executive Committee of FAROE