600 million women and children in the world have been affected by war, according to the United Nations. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council. He also said that this number has increased by 50 per cent in the last decade. This information is known in the report of the American news agency AP.
Global progress made by women over the past few decades has largely been eroded by increasing armed conflict. Guterres was evaluating a Security Council resolution adopted on October 31, 2000. One of the goals of the proposal was to ensure equal participation of women in peace talks. But this goal, like gender equality, remains unfulfilled. Opportunities for women’s leadership and inclusion in peacebuilding are being undermined. Power and decision-making in matters of peace and security still rest with men. As long as oppressive patriarchal structures and gender inequality hold back half of society, achieving peace will remain elusive.
It is true that belligerent nations are spreading wars worldwide to show off their weapons.
According to the UN report, twice as many women were killed in armed conflict in 2023 than in 2022. Incidents of conflict-related sexual violence have increased by 50 per cent. Women and girls are the direct and indirect victims of war. It is the responsibility of world leaders to dispel the fear of victims. But the reality is very disappointing. One in two women and girls are food insecure in conflict-affected countries. 61 per cent of global maternal deaths are confined to 35 conflict-prone countries. In these countries, women’s participation in policymaking and politics has stagnated.
It is true that belligerent nations are spreading wars worldwide to show off their weapons. Arms and ammunition are having a serious detrimental impact on human lives as well as the global environment. And its biggest victims are children. There is a generation growing up in this world whose lives are dark. One of them is physically and mentally unbalanced children and adolescents.
Will the government’s efforts to control the market fail?
Do world leaders consider the impact on those who fight and create war situations, affecting countless people?
Many children have lost parents, siblings, friends or relatives during the war. But children grow up with the care and compassion of adults. Having lost their parents during the war, these children move towards an uncertain future. When children and adolescents are in the midst of physical and mental development, their development is stunted if war occurs.
They pose health risks. It is normal for a child or teenager to suffer physical and psychological damage when they are attacked or brutally tortured in war. Sometimes children suffer from paralysis. Children are affected by various diseases due to inadequate food, sanitation, and poor quality of life. A vicious cycle emerges in war-torn areas due to destruction, poverty and violence. The infrastructure of life is destroyed. As a result, children’s education is completely stopped. These also affect their security. We hope world leaders will come forward to create a haven for women and children. The war must stop as well.
The writer is a Bangladesh-based independent columnist and freelance journalist.