World War Orphans Day or World Day of War Orphans is celebrated worldwide to make people aware of the plight of the children who became orphans in the aftermath of World War II.
This day is a reminder of how civilians, especially children suffered during the war or any other calamity. People need to be aware of it and should spread awareness among other people.
During World War II children and women faced many atrocities, they had to suffer because of hunger and became a neglected group.
People should help those who have been orphaned and are facing any challenge whether it is because of hunger or any other reason. Here are some details you need to know about World War Orphans’ Day or World Day of War Orphans.
World War Orphans’ Day History
World War Orphans’ Day is observed annually on January 6 to make people aware of the plight of those children who had been orphaned because of the atrocities of World War II.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) which is an organization that works to address the issues regarding Children, has given a definition of Orphan.
According to this Organization, “any child who is below the age of 18, lost one or both parents in war or because of any other reason is defined as an Orphan”.
But in developed countries, a child is considered an Orphan when both parents have passed away due to any cause of death.
The observation of this day was started by a French Organization named SOS Enfants En Detresse. This organization played a critical role in addressing the issues faced by War Orphans and helped them in the best possible ways.
Through its efforts, SOS Enfants En Détresse helped many neglected people and brought them back to normalcy.
World Day of War Orphans: Significance
This day comes with a lot of significance as it highlights the issues of Orphan children, who are a neglected group due to the aftermath of wars that happened in the past.
This year has gained even more significance in the time of the Coronavirus pandemic. The whole world faced suffering during this pandemic, especially children whose parents passed away due to COVID-19.
This pandemic resulted in many children being orphaned. Many children lost their one or both parents and are living with their surviving relatives, especially grandparents.
However, there are many children who don’t even have a single parent left to look after them. In such cases, there are high chances for children to be neglected whether it is in education or any other aspect.
According to the data of UNICEF, in 2015 there were nearly 140 million orphans worldwide. Asia ranked number one with almost 61 million orphans followed by Africa which had 52 million Orphans.
According to another report by UNICEF, in the wars between the 18th and 20th centuries, around half of the victims were civilians. This number increased gradually to 2024.
You can mark this day by spreading awareness about the sufferings of Orphans through social media. You can contribute by donating to those organizations that are working continuously for the welfare of orphans.
