AsiaNet  84061

NEW DELHI, May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

    Today, 88 Nobel Laureates and World Leaders, as part of Laureates and

Leaders for Children, issued a statement calling for the world's governments to

unite and prioritize the world's children during their lockdowns and in the

aftermath.

    Founded by 2014 Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi, who has fought

tirelessly for decades against child labour, slavery and trafficking, Laureates

and Leaders for Children highlights challenges faced by the world's most

vulnerable children and advocates for solutions.

    "We, the Laureates and Leaders for Children, demand that the most

marginalized and vulnerable children are not forgotten by governments during

this grave crisis and beyond.  We must act now or risk losing an entire

generation." – Kailash Satyarthi

    Statement excerpts:

    COVID-19 has exposed and exacerbated pre-existing inequalities in our

world. The virus, restrictions placed on the majority of the world's

population, and the aftermath will have a devastating impact on the most

vulnerable.

    The pandemic's public health emergency is set to exacerbate the

exploitation of children. Trapped in homes to escape the virus, children are at

greater risk of sexual abuse and domestic violence. As restrictions are lifted,

children will be trafficked, forced out of school and into labour, bearing the

burden of sustaining their families.  

    If, for once, our world gave the most marginalised children and their

families their fair share – 20% of the COVID-19 response for the poorest 20% of

humanity – the results would be transformative. One trillion dollars would fund

all outstanding UN and charity COVID-19 appeals, cancel two years of all debt

repayments from low-income countries, and fund two years of the global gap to

meet the SDGs on health, water and sanitation, and education. More than ten

million lives would be saved.

    We call on leaders of the G20 to take additional action beyond their own

borders for those who urgently need coordinated international aid.  We also

call on all G20 leaders to honour existing global health commitments.

    Signatories include:

    His Holiness the Dalai Lama

    Most Reverend Archbishop Desmond Tutu

    HRH Prince Ali Al Hussein

    Leymah Gbowee

    Kerry Kennedy

    Rigoberta Menchu Tum

    Jose Ramos-Horta

    Mary Robinson

    Guy Ryder

    Kailash Satyarthi

    Laureates and Leaders for Children is an initiative of the Kailash

Satyarthi Children's Foundation.  The full statement, an accompanying video and

signatories are here (http://www.laureatesandleaders.org/).

    #FairShare4Children

    Logo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1169254/Laureates_and_Leaders_For_Children_Logo.jpg

    Logo Caption: Laureates & Leaders - For Children

    Video:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1169253/Laureates_and_Leaders_COVID_19.mp4

    Video Caption: 88 Nobel Laureates & World Leaders Call for $1 Trillion to

Protect the World’s Children in the COVID-19 Era

    Photo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1169252/Laureates_and_Leaders_Call_for_Children.jpg

    Photo Caption: Kailash Satyarthi calls on for Child protection with 88

Laureates and Leaders

    Source: Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation