Razan* was seriously injured in an airstrike when fleeing violence in Yemen.
Shrapnel hit her in the eye, impairing her sight, as her father tried to protect his daughter. Razan cried in pain for days, as her father worried if she would ever regain her sight again.
Children are constantly being harmed in conflict, denied the protection that should be theirs by right.
This is a war on children.
Around the world, one child in five is living in an area affected by conflict, in places like Syria, Myanmar and Yemen. Five years of relentless war has left a mark on the children in Yemen. Wounded, traumatized and hungry, and with limited access to basic services such as education, protection and healthcare, they are severely limited in their opportunities to build a future. For many, years of violence, bombing and insecurity have seriously affected their mental health.
Every day, bombs destroy children’s homes, hospitals and schools. Their friends are shot and injured. Their families are killed.
For these children, there isn’t anywhere they feel safe. Not at home. Not in a hospital. Not on the streets where they used to play.
Not even in school.
The targeting and use of children in conflict is always illegal. Under international law, there are rules in place to protect them from harm, but too often these laws count for nothing. Unless our leaders understand that the public refuses to accept the war on children, we’ll continue to fail an entire generation.
Together we can build a global movement to stand with the millions of children in danger. By calling for change from governments, and by supporting Save the Children’s recovery programs helping children on the ground, we can make a practical difference to children’s lives in war zones.
That’s why we urgently need you to speak out today and #STOPTHEWARONCHILDREN. Together, we can help protect the world's children from the horrors of conflict. Join our campaign now.
I believe...
1. World leaders must always uphold international law to protect children in conflict.
2. Anyone who commits a war crime against children must be held accountable.
3. Children in warzones need practical support on the ground to protect and care for them, and to help them recover.
We must #STOPTHEWARONCHILDREN.
*Name changed to protect identity