Terre des Hommes on the start of the new government:
With the election of the Chancellor and the presentation of the Cabinet, the course has been set for the new federal government. "We welcome the fact that there will continue to be an independent Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) under the leadership of Reem Alabali-Radovan in the upcoming legislative period," explains Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of Terre des Hommes . "We urge Ms. Alabali-Radovan and the BMZ to launch a proactive campaign for children's rights in development cooperation. To date, there are many indications that children will not be given the place they deserve in the development policy of the new federal government. The planned cuts and the increased focus on German self-interest are warning signs regarding the realization of children's rights, as their lives are often at stake. In regions of extreme poverty, in crisis and conflict zones, children need food, protection from violence and exploitation, medical care, and education." “Help and protection for these children must be a priority for German development cooperation and be reflected in an appropriate budget,” said Hofert.
Upholding children's rights also includes continuing the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act and ambitiously implementing the EU Supply Chain Directive. Both instruments serve to prevent the exploitation of children along global value chains. "Essentially, it's about ensuring that everyday products like coffee, cocoa, or sugar don't end up on our breakfast tables thanks to child labor. Our prosperity must not be based on the exploitation of children," says Joshua Hofert.
The realization of children's rights in Germany is acutely threatened by the planned change of course in the area of migration. The near-complete cessation of the federal resettlement program, the restriction of family reunification, border rejections, and the massive expansion of deportations are an unacceptable response to the desperate flight from war, violence, and terror. "The current plans further restrict the few legal pathways to Europe." “However, when legal pathways are lacking, irregular migration tends to increase – those affected choose increasingly dangerous escape routes out of desperation, which leads to more and more children and young people losing their lives while fleeing,” explains Hofert.