Turkish First Lady Calls for Global Action to Protect Children in Conflict Zones
Kyiv, The Gulf Observer: Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan has urged the international community to take immediate action to secure a dignified future for children in conflict zones, stressing the urgent need to protect their rights and well-being. Her remarks were delivered via video message at the 4th Spouses of Leaders Summit in Kyiv, which focused on the theme of “child safety.”
Highlighting the plight of children in war-torn regions such as Ukraine, Syria, and Gaza, Erdogan expressed deep concern over the increasing threats to their rights. “The world owes these children a future beyond fighting or dying,” she remarked, drawing attention to the grim reality that infants are being buried without ever being registered, and children’s deaths are reduced to mere war casualties.
Erdogan underscored the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where she noted that a child dies every ten minutes, and nine out of ten children suffer from starvation and thirst. “Humanity’s future flourishes through children, yet today we are witnessing a global test in protecting their right to life,” she said, lamenting the fact that many children in conflict zones feel so hopeless that they prefer death to life.
She also praised Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenskyy for her efforts in safeguarding Ukrainian children and emphasized Türkiye’s support for displaced children, including hosting nearly 1,500 Ukrainian children and their caretakers.
Erdogan called for a “just and lasting peace” to end the suffering of children in conflict zones and expressed her hope for a future where no child faces the horrors of war. The Spouses of Leaders Summit, initiated by First Lady Zelenskyy in 2021, aims to address global humanitarian challenges and foster cooperation on projects for the well-being of vulnerable populations.
