There are an estimated 10,000 to 14,000 child soldiers in Columbia. Besides this, compulsory military service exists for all young men from the age of 18. They are usually sent immediately into conflict zones and many die. Young Columbians are protesting against this here.
This Asian country has the most child soldiers in the world. Tens of thousands of minors are thought to be in the state army, while there are several thousand serving for opposition groups. Here the population is protesting against this abuse.
Creativity has no limits: Red Hand biscuits, Red Hand balls, Red Hand T-Shirts, YouTube films, benefit concerts, street festivals, massive banners at schools and town halls – there are many different colourful and amusing forms of protesting against the use of child soldiers.
"I will do everything in my power to improve the situation of child soldiers worldwide" he pledged.
Just put red paint on your hand, press your hand onto a piece of paper, let it dry, add your name, city and message and send it to politicians to put pressure on them to support the campaign and make improvements!
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Your Red Hand counts!
Get involved in the Red Hand campaign and protest against the use of child soldiers! Red Hand Day on 12th February and the campaign against the use of child soldiers have existed for over 10 years. Over 370,000 handprints have been collected in more than 50 countries and handed over to politicians and to responsible parties, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and former German President Horst Köhler. They have all agreed to support the campaign and improve the protection of children in war zones. There have already been some successes regarding legislation and sanctions. But there are still 250,000 child soldiers in the world. We all have to put the pressure on to ensure this terrible exploitation of children is stopped. Give us your Red Hand!
News
Red Hands from the Bundestag
On Red Hand Day 2012, the German Alliance against Child Soldiers and the Bundestag’s Commission for Children organised an activity that involved schoolchildren going to the Bundestag and collecting handprints from over 160 MPs and other employees....more
“I will do everything...”
“I will do everything in my power to stop the suffering of these children,“ Ban Ki-moon, the most powerful man in the United Nations, said on Red Hand Day 2009. Four youths from four corners of the world, including Anna-Maria Anders from Germany, presented him with an album of red handprints that had been collected by Red Hand campaigns all over the world.
Number of Red Hands
collected all over the world
(Stand:20.02.2012)
