Elvan(s) Mohammad(s) and Nichelle(s) Y’all (…)

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Nisan 25, 2014 emny No comments

I am asking myself when fairy tales replaced with the stories, sometimes…

What happened and how we stopped to believe them?

The fact of reality, when became our first theme, in our lives?

Why we started to worry about our future, suddenly?

Did not we say the poor ones will get their benefits from the life, when the time is ripe?

Did not we promise to end wars?

Did not we expect to meet with comfort, peace and wealth, in the world?

I guess with the magic of the fairy tales, we also thought that classification of the people in the world was ended already!

All men are by nature equally free and independent!

Are we?

According to the Caneige Research held in 1979, the truth of the matter is different

“…each child’s future was largely determined by the child’s social circumstances, by the geographical place of its birth and its parents’ place in the society of its birth – and not by its own brains, talents, efforts, dedication.”

So that means, because of the unequal distribution of income and wealth, in principle, although the opposite can be asserted, our future seems decided already.

another report by UNICEF says:

“Children living in poverty experience deprivation of the material, spiritual, and emotional resources needed to survive, develop and thrive, leaving them unable to enjoy their rights, achieve their full potential orparticipate as full and equal members of society.”

meaning:

“Poverty in childhood often leads to poverty in old age”

Actually, all this means that;

“If you were not born in convenient geo. locations and wealthy family, woe to you!“

***

The Reality is that!

According to the Helsinki-based World Institute for Development Economics, people in the richest one percent of the world population are now almost 2000 times richer than the bottom 50 per cent, while 3 billion people are now living below the poverty line, set at US$2 per day.

under these circumstances;

We should not be surprised why Over 600 million children -world-wide- have to live in absolute poverty.

The income inequality is stealing the children’s future… That’s for sure!

However, as much as hunger and misery, There’s another fact present… Which also steals children’s future!

War!

Lately, Save the Children, one of the world’s largest independent children’s charity, shared two reports with the public. “A devastating Toll” and “Childhood underfire”

#ChildrenofSyria

Syria’s ongoing civil war has had an unimaginable impact on the countries children with over 10,000 young lives lost, a report from Save the Children said. “At least 1.2 million children have fled the conflict and become refugees in neighboring countries, while another 4.3 million children in Syria are in need of humanitarian assistance

While Millions of Syrian children suffering from lack of healthcare, another report “Childhood under Fire” details how some young boys are being used by armed groups as porters, runners and human shields, bringing them close to the frontline, while some girls are being married off early to ‘protect’ them from a widely-perceived threat of sexual violence.

that because of it

Save The Children launched a new video campaign, recently, to highlight the ongoing conflict in Syria and raise public awareness.

The one and a half minute video, follows a typical British girl over the course of a year in a civil war hit London.

The video which viewed more than 25 million times on YouTube; closes with the words:

“Just because it isn’t happening here, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”

So, What’s the Situation in Turkey, then?

Lets follow the various statements and the information sources on this matter:

Turkey became a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1994, and the Convention became part of the domestic law in January 1995. However, Turkey could not met with the targets yet

In the eyes of international public opinion Turkey is a country that constantly deferring children’s issues.

Experts say “Turkey fails to protect its children”

Turkey even cannot delivery the fundameltal rights of the children efficiently, such as:

“the right to survival, development, protection from neglect, protection from abuse, protection from Exploitation and also Recreation, etc.”

Çocuk İşçi Gerçeği

893 thousand out of around 15 million children between the ages of 6-17 are in working life in Turkey, although the employment of children between the ages 6-14 is prohibited. (according to the results of 2012 Child Labour Force Survey, by TUIK) This number of children 5.9 percent corresponds to.

These facts explains that

Child poverty in Turkey is One of the reasons why children drop out of school to work in jobs that threaten their mental, physical and emotional health.

and

Why Are There so many Street Children, around?

****

The fact that child brides, child abuse, neonatal deaths, and many more

Shortly, many issues are still waiting to be solved

While all of this happening, Turkey, also, failed to protect children from preventable deaths!

Berkin Elvan, who has been in a coma since June 2013 after being struck in the head by a gas canister during a police crackdown on protesters, died -recently-March 11,

not remain silent on this event unicef

UNICEF Turkey did not stay silent.

International Child Organisation conveyed its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Berkin Elvan and expressed sincere regrets.

and reminded

“It is with immense sadness that UNICEF observes preventable child deaths in Turkey. It is the State’s responsibility to protect and promote every child’s inherent right to life, by intervening against all forms of violence against children, holding perpetrators of such violence accountable and exercising due diligence whenever children are threatened or at risk”

***

Do you remember, what I was asking myself, at the beginning?

I was asking what changed and suddenly we started to believe the facts instead of fairy tales?

I told you a story away from the fairy tales, today…. Brutal facts of the life…

It was the story about “The fact of Child”

So, we need to think now,

Why would s/he believe us?

Why would not child worry about the future?

***

I know ther are lots of problems present all across the world, I wish it would be solved and the aids would not be stopped.

I wish a future where no child sleeps hungry.

However, Let’s give credit to where credit is due…

Despite all negativity, let’s put Turkey in different corner…

Maybe we are still far away from the EU criteria…

We are the only country in the world that dedicated its sovereignty to kids

At least, we have a festivity which we gifted for children.

We have April 23!

On April 23, 1929, upon Atatürk’s proposal, the first Turkish Grand National Assembly decreed April 23 as a national holiday dedicated to children. Thus Turkey became the first country in the world that celebrates an official Children’s Day.

in 1979, UNICEF recognized April 23 as International Children’s Day. Today, besides festivals and events by communities across the world, this national holiday is celebrated in Turkey with children from all nations in a spirit of peace and harmony.

***

The day before yesterday was April 23. The Internatianal Children’s day. A festival which belongs to all kids around the world.

It has been celebrated once again with the international attendance of the children. However, Because of the things which I explained above, some of them are missed it again;

That is why, Since this is an event that every kid has to live!

I am asking you fill in the blank with the correct answer:

Elvan(s), Mohammad(s) and Nichelle(s) Y’all ……………………

a) Must live!

b) Must Study!

c) Must play!

d) All ?

Emrah BAYILDIRAN / Communications Specialist

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Please, donate to help these charities meet the urgent needs of world’s children

1-) Global Action Fund: Save the Children – (online donations are accepted

2-) Unite For Children: UNICEF – (online donations are accepted)