Condemns "murderous practice of abortion", among other things

Pope Francis gives emotional address on the protection of children

Vatican City - Lack of rights, forced labour and enslavement, no access to education: Millions of children around the world are suffering. International experts are now discussing their protection at the Vatican at the invitation of Pope Francis.

Published  on 03.02.2025 at 14:40  – 

Pope Francis opened the International Summit for Children's Rights in the Vatican with an emotional speech. This Monday, leaders from politics, society and religion will discuss new ways to protect children worldwide. In his speech, Francis recalled the fates of millions of children who are affected by wars and conflicts, have no access to education, live in homelessness, are victims of forced labour, human trafficking, abuse and exploitation of all kinds, including forced marriages. Their rights are trampled on and ignored on a daily basis.

"What we have unfortunately seen almost daily in recent times, children dying under bombs and being sacrificed to the idols of power, ideology and nationalist interests, is unacceptable," the Pope said. "In reality, nothing is worth the life of a child. Killing the little ones means denying them a future."

The head of the Church denounced the lack of rights of many minors, including children of the persecuted Rohingya and undocumented migrants on the border with the USA. "An estimated 150 million 'invisible' children have no legal existence. This is a barrier to accessing education or healthcare, but most importantly, they have no protection under the law and can easily be abused or sold as slaves."

Situation of children in rich nations

The 88-year-old Francis also addressed the situation of children and young people in rich industrialised nations: Their excessive individualism is also harmful to minors, he said. "Sometimes they are mistreated or even oppressed by those who should protect and educate them, they become victims of quarrels, social or psychological problems and parental dependencies."

The Pope went on to condemn the "murderous practice of abortion", which cuts off the source of hope for the whole of society. "We must recognise that young children observe, understand and remember. And with their looks and their silence, they speak to us. Let us listen to them," Francis urged.

The opening of the summit by the Pope will be followed by a total of eight discussion rounds. Speakers include Queen Rania of Jordan, former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Nobel Peace Prize winners Al Gore and Kailash Satyarthi, Holocaust survivors Edith Bruck and Liliana Segre, British Rabbi David Rosen, the Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO, Máximo Torero, and Interpol President Naser Al-Raisi. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, will be attending from Germany. (KNA)