A worldwide initiative to stop the use of Child Soldiers
| The Campaign| | Participate| | Achievement| | Child Soldiers| | Global Activities| | Submit report| | Contact |
Global Campaign »Red Hand Day«: Stop using child soldiers
Collecting red hands in Cologne, Germany.
Photo: Aktion Weißes Friedensband
According to figures from the United Nations, there are still 250,000 child soldiers worldwide. During wars between adults, these children are sent to destructive military battles, they must run errands and are reduced to being slaves for their commanders. Female child soldiers often become victims of sexual abuse. Children are not soldiers! You can also help achieve this goal.
Since 2002 the Red Hand Day has been celebrated annually and worldwide; it draws attention to the situation of child soldiers. On Red Hand Day public protest, demonstrations and other activities take place. The Red Hand Day’s symbol is a red hand which has been used all over the world by many organizations in order to say NO to child recruitment and the use of child soldiers. If you want to participate, you can find information here. Due to various worldwide actions, the topic “child soldiers” has gained visibility. During the last years, for example, more than 350,000 red hand prints have been collected – an astonishing result. A ceremonial highlight was the handing over of red hand prints to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in New York on Red Hand Day 2009. Federal President Horst Köhler received red hands in Berlin. This is an effective way to put pressure on governments and non-governmental armed groups which use child soldiers. Those who still recruit people younger than 18 years of age should no longer be exempt from punishment. We are starting to see success in this field: Since 2008, first lawsuits dealing with recruitment of children have been filed at the International Court of Justice in Den Haag. The people accused are three commanders of Congolese rebel groups and Liberia’s former president.
Red Hands against the use of children in wars
Red Hand Day 2008 in Goma, DR Kongo.
Photo: Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
Number of Red Hands collected all over the world (14.11.2011)
368.933
Further informations: Further informations on the "Child Soldiers":- www.child-soldiers.org (in english) – Webpage of »Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers«
- www.tdh.de - Information on terre des hommes Germany
[ The Campaign | Child Soldiers | Participate | Global Activities | Submit report | Contact ]