His face is a picture of
innocence, as he stands over the empty cookie jar.
His face, is a face of a
child.
A child.
A girl.
In the midst of bountiful joy.
Her face is a picture of
innocence, celebrating her fifth birthday.
Her face, is the face of
a child.
Yet.
There is one, maybe more, who isn't.
A child; yet not a child.
Somewhere out there is a
child. Someone whose smile
should light an entire room. Whose
eyes should reflect an innocent soul. Whose
beauty is in a carefree, pure grin.
But sometimes, a child
lives in a place where things happen. Bad
things. Things that make a
smile next to impossible. Things
that make a soul scared, battered and worn.
Things that make a child grow up way ahead of time.
The Convention on the
Rights of the Child (http://www.unicef.org/crc/convention.htm)
defines a child to be a human being under the age of eighteen in areas other
than those which have legislations to the contrary.
A child isn't a just that
five-year-old jumping rope on the streets.
Or a girl with plaited hair walking to school.
Or a teenager with an attitude and a tattoo.
A child is also the young
soldier carrying a gun. The
starving, bone-thin boy at the dusty corner.
The young girl forced into a place where girls should never be.
"Mankind owes to
the child the best that it has to give...."
– 1924 Declaration of the Rights of the Child
Are children receiving the
best?
I'm afraid not. They're cornered, helpless and unable to fight back against
the people who, for selfish purposes, use and abuse them.
(Excerpts from the full
text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child are italicised.)
"irrespective of the
child's or his or her parent's or legal guardian's race, colour, sex,
language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social
origin, property, disability, birth or other status"
Because everyone is equal.
"the best interests of
the child shall be a primary consideration"
Because that is what they deserve.
"every child has the
inherent right to life"
Because life is worth the living.
"have the right from
birth to a name, the right to acquire a nationality and. as far as possible,
the right to know and be cared for by his or her parents"
Because love matters.
"combat the illicit
transfer and non-return of children abroad"
Because safety and protection should be treasured.
"the views of the
child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the
child"
Because everyone deserves respect.
"promotion of his or
her social, spiritual and moral well-being and physical and mental health"
Because to develop is to grow.
"protect the child
from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or
negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation"
Because mental scars hurt more than physical ones.
C.H.I.L.D.R.E.N.
of the World.
Because every child is
special.
Stay tuned for the first
chapter…
~rurouni
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