WCC News: WCC general secretary urges “Stand Up for Children in War"

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed support for the “Stand up for Children in War” campaign, which runs through the International Day of Peace, 21 September.  23 May 2022, Taganrog, Russia: A child holds a woman's hand as they walk through the Romashka sports and recreation complex in Zolotaya Kosa, southwest Russia near the border to Ukraine. Romashka hosts several hundred children from the Donbas region in Ukraine, most of them from orphanages in Ukraine. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 10 September 2025 "My heart is with the over 473 million children who live in conflict zones, facing cruel and ongoing violations of their most basic rights, and of their God-given human dignity,” said Pillay. “I think especially of the 48.8 million children displaced by armed conflict and violence, many of them now without parents, vulnerable to trafficking and abuse.” The suffering borne by children in conflict situations around the world is intolerable and unacceptable, Pillay said. “The number of grave violations against children has increased by 25% over the last 30 years,” he continued. “In part it reflects increasingly flagrant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.” He noted that the WCC has long stood for accountability to these systems of law, created precisely to protect the most vulnerable from violence and abuse by the powerful. “We demand full and consistent accountability to those principles,” he said. “It is also related to the accelerating climate emergency and intensified competition for essential resources.” Indeed, Pillay noted, resource scarcity is expected to become the dominant cause of war in the 21st century.  “People of faith have a key role to play in demanding the protection of children in war, ensuring humanitarian access and assistance to conflict-affected communities, and insisting on accountability for all violations – especially those impacting children and their futures – as a matter of fundamental moral responsibility as well as legal obligation,” he said. “I urge you to engage with all your faith and wisdom to tackle the root causes of wars, including the climate and environmental emergency which threatens all children everywhere.” Aim of the initiative "Stand Up for Children n War" is to mobilize faith leaders, religious communities and civil society to stand up for children affected by war, advocate for their protection, and promote compassion. Numerous engagement options for various groups and institutional partners are listed in the campaign website: www.forchildreninwar.org/engagement-options/ Learn more about the "“Stand Up for Children in War" global campaign Video message of the WCC general secretary on the International Day of Peace, “Stand Up for Children in War" WCC general secretary message for the International Day of Peace: “Stand Up for Children in War" See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland