The United Nations Organization for Children (UNICEF) announced that 2014 is a “devastating year for millions of children,” who fell victim to conflicts, especially in Syria, Iraq, Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine. Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, said, “Children have been killed while studying in the classroom and while sleeping in their beds; they have been orphaned, kidnapped, tortured, recruited, raped and even sold as slaves. Never in recent memory have so many children been subjected to such unspeakable brutality.” According to the organization, an estimated 230 million children currently live in countries and areas affected by armed conflicts, including 15 million who suffer directly.
The report stated, “As many as 15 million children are caught up in violent conflicts in the Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan, the State of Palestine, Syria and Ukraine – including those internally displaced or living as refugees. Globally, an estimated 230 million children currently live in countries and areas affected by armed conflicts.” UNICEF has pointed out that in 2014, “Hundreds of children have been kidnapped from their schools or on their way to school,” but it confirmed, “Tens of thousands have been recruited or used by armed forces and groups. Attacks on education and health facilities and use of schools for military purposes have increased in many places.”
In Syria, the ongoing conflict affects 7.3 million children; 1.7 million children are refugees. Whereas in Iraq it is estimated that 2.7 million children are affected by the conflict, and it is believed that 700 children were injured or killed or even executed.
These shocking figures are alarming and make us question what will be the future of our children in the coming years under the current present regimes? More special attention should have been given to the children, the men of tomorrow; to improve their well-being and raise them in a unique manner to be the building block for a strong structure that will revive their people and prevent their downfall.
It should have been the concern of the world leading countries to carry out tough measures to stop the severe bloodshed and exploitation of children. However America and its likes proved that their leadership of the world is only leading them to the edge, paralleled to the downfall of their own capitalist civilization in which the young and old bear the brunt of its fire of corruption and deviance. It is truly a catastrophic situation; many children are killed everywhere, children are being raped and tortured and even hacked to pieces, others are hungry and without clothes, medicine or even water. Every now and then, UNICEF and other organizations that claim that they carry the burden of children and their future are sufficed by producing bitter statistics and condemning reports! We are all aware of the founders of such organizations. If the founding states truly carry the burden of children, they would have not just accepted to take the position of spectators who only count and feel the woes. And if they truly carry the burden of the children, they would not have accepted even for a day to become involved with regimes that torture children like what takes place in Syria. It is like the murderer that witnesses the funeral of the one he murders and pretends to be in pain and sorrow, screaming and crying for further deceit.
Today’s world children are truly in need of a sincere political vision that eliminates the helm from America and its allies of the world’s ship to steer it to safety. A political vision that honors people: children, women, men, and the elderly; and seeks to provide them a dignified life by protecting them and nurtures goodness and responsibility in them, and that does not instill in them material concepts unsuitable for humans. Rather it seeks to make the world live by the correct concepts about life bringing happiness to humanity and ending the hegemony of the evil colonizers. The Islamic State, the righteously guided Khilafah upon the method of Prophethood is the only one capable of achieving this, by the will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى.
The Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir Women’s Section
Friday, 20th Safar 1436 AH
12/12/2014 CE
Issue No: 1436 AH /007