By Kielce Gussie
64 million children of elementary school age are not able to attend classes. One in three children under the age of five face extreme food poverty. 12 million girls were forced into child marriages in 2022 alone.
Rather than stand in silence, Pope Francis announced he will dedicate a day to helping and “protecting millions of children who are still without rights, who live in precarious conditions, who are exploited and abused, and who suffer the dramatic consequences of wars.”
Bring a smile to suffering children
On Tuesday, the Holy See Press Office has released the schedule for the first-ever World Meeting on Children’s Rights. Speaking at the press conference, Marco Impagliazzo, President of the Community of Sant’Egidio, calls this meeting “an event of hope.” He states that “too many children die from war, violence, sexual and labor exploitation,” and the Pope wants to “bring a smile” to these suffering children.
Dedicating a day to children
The World Meeting on Children’s Rights will be held in the Vatican on Feb 3 with the theme, “Love them and protect them.” Pope Francis is scheduled to open the event by welcoming 10 children from various countries, who are due to share a message with the Pope.
Seven panels will be held, each with a specific topic focusing on the rights of children, including access to education, rights to a family, protection from violence, and access to resources. Advocates from all over the world and walks of life will come to Rome. The list includes Queen Rania al-Abdullah of Jordan; Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, CEO of Mary’s Meals; Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate; and former U.S. Vice President, Al Gore.
A new era of crisis
This World Meeting on Children’s Rights responds to the growing challenges millions of children face each and every day. “The world is entering a new era of crisis for children; climate change, inequality and conflict are disrupting their lives and limiting their futures,” a study from the United Nations Children’s Fund reports.
Pope Francis reiterates this alarming statement in his prayer intentions for the month of January: “Today, we are experiencing an educational catastrophe.” He argues all children and young people have the right to education, yet about 250 million children lack access to school “because of war, migration and poverty.” – Vatican News
