Schulze: protect children from exploitation and violence

Berlin (red) – On International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, so-called Red Hand Day, Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze has called for greater protection of children against exploitation and violence. “Children are not to blame for the current crises and wars. Yet all over the world, they are the ones who suffer most,” said Schulze. The growing famine as a result of the Russian war of aggression, the long school closures during the COVID-19 crisis and increasing inequality was robbing many children and young people of the prospect of a better future, the minister added. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) works with partners such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and civil society organisations in Africa, Asia and Latin America to promote the reintegration of former child soldiers into society.