The World Day of War Orphans is observed on January 6 every year to raise awareness about children who have been orphaned due to wars. World Day for war orphans was initiated by the French organization, SOS Enfants en Detresses.
Children are always silent victims of wars and other conflicts between countries. Children caught in the destructive forces of war and orphaned need utmost care to help heal the mental distress of war. They need to be provided with proper shelter and education. The World Day of War Orphans aims to spread awareness and address the crises faced by war orphans or children in conflict.
According to UNICEF,
- an estimated 153 million children worldwide are orphans.
- In the world's poorest countries, around 1 in 4 children are engaged in child labor.
- An estimated 61 million primary-school-age children are out of school; 53% of them are girls.
- There are over 250 million children living in countries affected by conflict
- 1 in 4 of the world's children live in a conflict or disaster zone