Italian President Sergio Mattarella
said Wednesday that protecting children from war, violence,
exploitation and abuse is not just a legal obligation, it is
also "a moral duty that calls upon us all to put the protection
of youths at the top of our collective priorities" in his
message for World Children's Day.
The head of State said that ratification by many countries of
the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, which
was approved by the United Nations General Assembly 35 years ago
today, "has not solved existing criticalities. "Millions of
children and adolescents in the world are still faced with
poverty, social exclusion, inequalities and the denial of
fundamental rights," Mattarella continued.
"Defending the rights of children means providing them with
positive points of reference that can guide their development;
it means transmitting to them the value of empathy and
solidarity and the importance of being accountable for their
actions.
"The hike in episodes of violence among children obliges us to
keep our attention high, both in listening to them and
vigilating them, in order to be capable of intercepting even the
smallest sign of their malaise or distress.
"The lack of adequate support can make children and youths more
vulnerable and inclined to engage in violent behaviour, thus
risking driving them into criminal milieux that offer them a
false perception of power and belonging.
"For children, an indiscriminate access to social media and the
long time they dedicate to their use are in and of themselves
forms of psychological and physical violence that can have
serious repercussions on their wellbeing, their health, and
their social relations.
"In order to avoid these risks, it is crucial for families,
schools, communities, and institutions to work together to
create contexts in which youths can feel appreciated, heard, and
guided and in which they can have the right to dream and be free
to imagine a future in which they can fully express their
potential.
"Protecting the rights of children means to assure society a
future; it means making youths the playmakers of their own
lives."
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