Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Fides Service) – November 20 in Italy and in several other countries is National Day for Childhood and Adolescence to highlight the importance of building a world suitable for children. Every year 1 million of the world’s children are introduced to prostitution (In Italy alone 30,000 are introduced to the sex market). Every day 7000 children are infected by Aids. In the last 10 years 2 million di children have killed and more than 6 million injured or mutilated by wars fought by adults. In the past 12 months 300,000 children were recruited to be slaves by warlords. 250 million children aged 5 to 14 are forced to work in developing countries and more than 50 million aged 5 to 11 work in dangerous conditions. 120 million children have never seen a school classroom. Children are the future of the world and the world does not seem to offer them even the present. 20 November 2003 is the 13th anniversary of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child the most organic picture of reference for all initiatives to defend the rights of minors. (AP) (19/11/2003 Fides Service; lines:20 words:244)
