杏MAP导航: 'Nothing is worth more than the life of a child'
By Lisa Zengarini
鈥淣othing is worth more than the life of a child.鈥� Addressing world leaders convened in the Vatican for the first global Summit on Children鈥檚 Rights on Monday, 杏MAP导航 Francis reiterated his impassioned plea for the protection of children who are victims of conflict, poverty, migration and of a 鈥渢hrowaway culture鈥�, including abortion and neglect, and insisted on the urgent need to listen to them.
鈥淟ove Them and Protect Them" is the theme of the event at which panelists hailing from across the world are discussing children鈥檚 protection from violence and exploitation, access to resources, access to education and health, and rights to a family.
Children victims of wars
In his address, 杏MAP导航 Francis highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by children worldwide, emphasizing that despite global progress, many children still suffer from poverty, war, lack of education, injustice, and exploitation.
The 杏MAP导航 drew attention to the particularly dire conditions of children in war-torn and impoverished regions but also stressed that even in wealthier societies, children face vulnerabilities such as mental health struggles, violence, and social marginalization.
He observed that young people, who should symbolize hope, increasingly struggle with despair and a lack of optimism for the future. This, he said, is 鈥渟ad and troubling.鈥�
One of the most alarming issues he addressed was the devastating impact of war on children. 鈥淲hat we have tragically seen almost every day in recent times, namely children dying beneath bombs, sacrificed to the idols of power, ideology, and nationalistic interests, is unacceptable,鈥� he said.
Victims of 'pathological individualism'
杏MAP导航 Francis denounced what he termed the "pathological individualism" visible in developed nations, where children often face abuse, neglect, or even infanticide by those meant to protect them.
He again decried the loss of young migrant lives, as countless children die at sea, in deserts, or on dangerous journeys driven by desperation. This too is 鈥渦nacceptable," he said.
鈥淎 childhood denied is a silent scream condemning the wrongness of the economic system, the criminal nature of wars, the lack of adequate medical care and schooling,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 insisted, warning against becoming desensitized to these tragedies, 鈥渓osing what is noblest in the human heart: mercy and compassion.鈥�
Scourges of child slavery, trafficking and abuse
杏MAP导航 Francis went on to recall the suffering of displaced children, highlighting staggering statistics: over 40 million children displaced by conflict and 100 million homeless. He also decried the persistence of child slavery, forced labour, trafficking, abuse, and child marriages, citing the heartbreaking reality that 160 million children are victims of these injustices.
He further drew attention to 150 million 鈥渋nvisible鈥� children who are unregistered at birth, making them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation due to their lack of legal identity. 鈥淭his phenomenon of unaccompanied minors is increasingly frequent and serious," he said, citing the example of Rohingya children fleeing Myanmar.
鈥淪adly," the 杏MAP导航 noted, 鈥渢his history of oppression of children is constantly repeated鈥� in wartime, as elderly people who lived through wars tell us. 鈥淎lso listening to those children who today live in violence, exploitation, or injustice serves to strengthen our 鈥榥o鈥� to war,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 remarked.
The murderous practice of abortion fueled by a "throwaway culture"
A particularly forceful part of the 杏MAP导航's speech was his condemnation of the "throwaway culture," where human lives, including the unborn, are discarded without consideration.
鈥淚n the name of this throwaway mentality, in which the human being becomes all-powerful, unborn life is sacrificed through the murderous practice of abortion,鈥� which the 杏MAP导航 emphasized 鈥渃uts off the source of hope for the whole of society.鈥�
Listening to children to build hope for a better future
杏MAP导航 Francis therefore urged world leaders to listen to children, not only through their words but also through their silences, expressions, and experiences. 鈥淲ith their looks and their silences, too, they speak to us, so let us listen to them!鈥� he urged.
He expressed hope that the Vatican-hosted Summit will contribute to building a better world for children, reaffirming the moral duty to place children, their rights, and their dreams at the centre of global concerns.
Concluding, 杏MAP导航 Francis encouraged participants to make the most of the opportunities afforded by this meeting and expressed his hope that their contributions will help to build a better world for children and, consequently, for everyone.
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