Worldwide, more than 600 million children live in poverty and many die every day from preventable causes. More than 250 million children, from 5 to 14 years old, work long and tiring hours, and another 130 million do not receive even elementary education, the message says
Message from the Young Communist League and the José Martí Pioneers’ Organization to the children and adolescents of Cuba on the occasion of the celebration, this June 1st, of the International Children’s Day.
Dear brave people, the future of the Homeland:
We celebrate with great pride the International Day of the Children in our free Cuba. This date is celebrated throughout the world to remember the rights of children to health, education and protection, regardless of where they were born. This day is also a call to solve the needs of the youngest and to recognize the work of the people who work every day so that children have a better future.
They are the most vulnerable population. More than 600 million children in the world live in poverty and many die every day from preventable causes. More than 250 million children, from five to 14 years old, work long and tiring hours, and another 130 million do not receive even a basic education.
More than six million suffer from life-threatening injuries caused by conflict or have died as a result of the war. Many children in the world are forced into prostitution and pornography, and others are unfortunately used in organ trafficking and then killed.
The reality of our small archipelago is different. Our State guarantees the protection of children and ensures the fulfillment of their rights. The Revolution has created a whole social work dedicated to guarantee the survival, development, protection and participation of the youngest population. The country achieved an infant mortality rate of five per thousand live births. This result is possible thanks to the love and commitment that our Commander Fidel, since the beginning of the Revolution, dedicated to children.
The COVID-19 pandemic puts us all in an exceptional situation. In spite of this, today there are still many reasons to celebrate. Of the 2025 positive cases of the disease in the country, 225 have been children; none has died and care actions have been intensified with each one of them. All of us together have celebrated each medical discharge as if it were our own child.
But it is also important on a day like today to recognize our little ones who are at home and have adapted to the current scenario, although they miss some of the activities they used to do on a daily basis.
Our infants study and receive their TV Lessons responsibly, play alone, share messages and encouragement drawings, recognize health workers with their applause, help their families with household chores and exchange with their peers through social networks and other media. In addition, they have supported energy-saving tasks, shared with their pets and also become spokespersons for Dr. Durán and the daily news.
Sooner rather than later, if we all take care of ourselves and assume the guidelines of the authorities, we will move on to what they call «a new normality». Of course, not everything will be the same as before: we will have to maintain reinforced hygiene and some measures of distancing.
But as long as that moment arrives, in your houses you will receive this, our congratulations. Surely there will always be a reason to celebrate. We firmly believe that you have been little heroes in times of coronavirus. We count on you to continue growing in a Cuba that reaffirms that there is nothing more important than a child.
