PUNE — On June 4, observed globally as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, the Harmony Foundation urged stronger measures to safeguard children suffering in conflict zones. Dr. Abraham Mathai, founder-chairman of the Harmony Foundation and former chairman of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission, condemned the escalating violence affecting children in war-torn regions worldwide.

He highlighted the extreme hardships faced by children in areas such as Gaza, Israel, Sudan, Ukraine, and refugee settlements, where schools, hospitals, and playgrounds have turned into battlefields. Millions of children are displaced, orphaned, forcibly recruited into armed groups, and subjected to trauma, hunger, and loss of protection.

Dr. Mathai emphasized that the scale of suffering has surpassed international response mechanisms. The Harmony Foundation reiterated the importance of UN Sustainable Development Goal 16, aiming to end violence against children by 2030, but noted that urgent, coordinated action is needed to achieve this goal.

He called for practical measures including child-focused ceasefires, safe evacuation corridors, trauma-informed education, psychosocial support, accountability for perpetrators, and increased funding for organizations helping children on the ground. “Protecting children in war zones is not just a moral duty—it is a global imperative. June 4 should inspire action, not just reflection,” Dr. Mathai said.