World Day of War Orphans is annually observed across the globe on 6th January to create awareness about the condition of the children who were orphaned as a result of war or other conflicts. The day also highlights the need the protect the human rights of orphaned children.
- The day offers a platform to address the plight of war orphans and to highlight the emotional, social, and physical challenges children face while growing up.
Background:
World Day of War Orphans was started by the French organisation SOS Enfants en Detresses (SOSEED), which was working towards improving the lives of the children affected by war.
UNICEF’s definition of Orphans:
i.The United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) and the global partners define an orphan as “a child under 18 years of age who has lost one or both parents to any cause of death”.
ii.UNICEF has classified orphans into 3 types, paternal orphans (absence of the father), maternal orphans (absence of mother), and double orphans (absence of both the parents).
Key Points:
i.UNICEF provides evidence-based violence prevention interventions and response services to child victims of violence in more than 140 countries.
ii.According to UNICEF, it is estimated that every day, around 5700 more children become orphans due to war, natural disasters, poverty, disease, stigma, and medical needs.
iii.Between 2005 to 2020, more than 93000 children were recruited and used by parties to conflict as ‘Child Soldiers’. UNICEF is working to secure the release of these children from armed forces and armed groups and reintegrate them into their societies.
