To the "Red Hand Day" on February 12th
Osnabrück, February 10, 2023 - On the occasion of the upcoming Red Hand Day, people worldwide protest people with the symbol of red hand against the use of children and adolescents as soldiers. According to international estimates, around 250,000 boys and girls in over 20 countries around the world are misused as soldiers, many of them are killed or mutilated. Girls and boys from the age of around ten are abused as couriers or spy and have to fight with small weapons, many are used as cargo carriers and sexually abused.
"Children to fight is a terrible injury to children's rights and must be stopped," said Joshua Hofert, board spokesman for terre des hommes . »Children belong to school and on the playground and must never be burned in the adults' wars. The United Nations Committee has long been calling for this for the child's rights. It is high time that the abuse of children and adolescents as a soldier finally ends. Many children and adolescents from our projects in Colombia, India and other countries are committed to this, as well as our volunteers terre des hommes members. For example, they protest in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart and Bergisch Gladbach to the Red Hand against this abuse of minors. «
In addition, the financial means for prevention and reintegration programs of former child soldiers must be significantly increased. »The federal government is also required here, because many of these children fought with German small weapons. You have experienced bad things that you need psychosocial support and education to be able to return to an orderly life, «said Joshua Hofert.