Each year, on the 20th of November, the world comes together to celebrate Children's Day. This significant occasion traces its roots to the United Nations General Assembly's unanimous declaration in 1959, affirming the fundamental rights of children. On the same date in 1989, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This celebration is meant to prioritise the safety and well-being of children across all nations, and ensuring their right in medical, educational, and social domains, among others.
In this context, the National Centre for Human Rights commends the ongoing efforts aimed at safeguarding and fortifying children's rights, as the Jordanian constitution and its 1952 amendments state the principle of equality, non-discrimination, and the prevention of maltreatment towards children. Jordan had also ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, along with the Optional Protocol to the Convention addressing children’s involvement in armed conflict, and the Second Optional Protocol pertaining to the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.These commitments were published in the official gazette in 2006, and enacted Child Rights Law in 2022.
Yet, despite the commemoration of Children's Day, a disconcerting silence prevails in the majority of countries concerning the ongoing Israeli violations of children's rights in the Gaza Strip. These transgressions include but are not limited to: acts of murder, genocide, infliction of mental and physical harm, severing access to essential resources such as water, electricity, fuel, food, and medicine, alongside bombing their homes, schools, and hospitals, leading to the displacement of children who are denied access to aid and assistance. These actions constitute blatant violations of established international instruments, notably the 1949 Geneva Convention (IV) and the First Optional Protocol supplementary to the Convention, both of which provide for a series of rules that accord children a special protection.
The National Centre for Human Rights urges international institutions to apply international humanitarian law consistently, free from the apparent double standards that disproportionately affect Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip and beyond. Such disparities send a disheartening message that the well-being of these children is deemed less significant and unworthy of adequate care and attention. At the same time, the National Centre calls the international community to take political responsibility through urgent action that is needed to halt the infringements on children's rights perpetrated by the Israeli Occupation in the Gaza Strip. Additionally, there is a pressing need to provide them with comprehensive care, meet their essential needs, and extend psychosocial support to help mitigate the impact of the challenges they face.