“In situations of armed conflict it’s the children who suffer most: from death, hunger, injuries or recruitment as child soldiers, from attacks on their homes and schools or the loss of their loved ones.
We’re pushing for children’s rights to be protected and we’re also campaigning against the recruitment of child soldiers. Another thing we’re doing is helping child soldiers return to a normal life, a life that allows them to be children again. This means enabling them to go to school, for example, and also learn an occupation.
I’m very pleased to see here a number of encouraging developments such as the demobilization of child soldiers now under way in Myanmar.
Red Hand Day is not just a day when countries and governments express solidarity and campaign against the use of child soldiers. It is also a day when children show solidarity towards other children. I’d like to thank everyone taking part in this day of action very much indeed for setting such a splendid example of human rights advocacy.”