“We cannot waste our precious children. Not another one, not another day. It is long past time for us to act on their behalf.”
~Graça Machel, the United Nations Secretary-General's Expert on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children

On November 20, people across the globe will celebrate Universal Children’s Day. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly suggests that all countries recognize November 20 as a day devoted to taking action to promote the goals of the United Nations by ensuring the welfare of children. [Source]

According to the United States Census Bureau, there are almost 2.5 billion children currently living worldwide, which is more than one-third of the world’s population [Source]. One billion of these children live in poverty—that’s almost in two children. In addition, 121 million children are denied the right at attend primary school. [Source]

During Sierra Leone’s civil war, rebels systematically burned down and pillaged schools, leaving children with little access to education and resulting in the current literacy rate of only 30 per cent.

The war lasted from 1991 through 2002, resulting in numerous and widespread children’s rights violations. Thousands of children were violently recruited to fight on the frontlines of the conflict, and many more were separated from their families and communities. According to a Plan International study conducted in collaboration with UNESCO and Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Youth, Education and Sports, of 315 children who had witnessed the 1999 rebel invasion of the country’s capital, Freetown:

1. 80% had suffered the death of a parent, sibling or other close relative
2. 74% saw someone being killed or injured by machetes
3. 68% saw someone being tortured or burned to death
4. 76% worried they might not live to be adults [Source]

The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels systematically burned down and pillaged schools, health centers and homes, displacing half the country’s population (about 2.5 million) and leaving children with little access to education, resulting in the current literacy rate of only 30 per cent. [Source]

After more than a decade of conflict, Sierra Leone now has the lowest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world. As a result, many children are forced onto the street where they are exposed to drugs, prostitution and child trafficking. [Source]

The United Nations and non-governmental organizations have established programs geared at “restoring childhood in Sierra Leone.” These programs help re-integrate former child soldiers into society, help traumatized children develop methods of coping and provide aid to the growing number of street children.

Free The Children is also working to help. Our schools currently impact 4,280 children in Sierra Leone, and through the hard work and dedication of young people like you, we continue to provide alternative sources of income, health care, and clean water and sanitation for children and their families in the country.

Students attend class at a Free The Children school in Sierra Leone’s Kono District, a region which was home to among the most intense violence during the war.

The United Nations – The UN Works for Children
The United Nations – Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations – Universal Children’s Day
Free The Children – Get Educated
Children’s Rights Information Network – Main Page