Olena Zelenska: We must all act to protect children's safety in the modern world

Children’s safety is not just a topic for discussions and political decisions. It is an issue that touches the heart of each of us – regardless of our country of residence, social status or age.

We live in an era where news of armed conflicts, economic crises and other threats has become part of daily life. That is why, as the world faces numerous challenges, we as adults must focus on protecting our children.

In 2024, Ukraine hosted the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen as part of its Global Platform for the fourth year. The event was dedicated to the protection of children.

During the summit, we presented the findings of a global study, Protection of Childhood: Security Dimensions for Children and Adolescents, which was conducted by Catalyse Research on behalf of BRAND Ukraine and with the support of UNICEF. The study was conducted in 15 countries: Brazil, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Lithuania, Qatar, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

According to the study, which surveyed 300 parents and 300 children from each participating country, nearly one in four children worldwide has been directly affected by war and 67% of children have experienced the indirect impacts of conflict.

In addition, 89% of children across the 15 surveyed countries are aware of at least one active conflict, which has implications for their mental health. This also highlights the global scale of the issue: that even children who do not live in conflict zones still experience psychological pressure and fear from knowing about conflicts happening in other parts of the world.

Here, we must emphasize that danger is not only what poses an actual threat, but also what is felt – and affects both children and adults not only physically but mentally, as well.

This sense of "childhood insecurity” is now characteristic of all countries, regardless of geographical location. According to our research, 43% of parents worldwide believe that their children face more dangers today than they did in their own childhood.

In Ukraine, this sentiment is most pronounced, with 73% of parents holding this belief. This is a direct result of the daily Russian shelling of peaceful cities, which frequently claims civilian lives and evokes feelings of helplessness and a loss of control, even among adults.

At the same time, this percentage of parental anxiety includes another dimension because alongside the threats of war, "peaceful" everyday dangers that affect the entire world – even the most developed nations – persist. These include threats within the family, at school and in the virtual space.

Sadly, even at home, some children feel unsafe. One in six children worry about their safety within the family environment, with girls more likely than boys to feel unsafe at home. This can have severe consequences on the mental health of children.

Family conflicts significantly increase anxiety levels in children, with those who witness arguments are 44% more likely to develop psychological issues. Meanwhile, those who experience parental divorce have a 17% higher risk of mental health problems and disorders.

However, home should be a place of support and love. It is therefore essential to create an environment where a child feels secure and has the confidence to seek help from parents or loved ones when facing challenges.

The study also found that even children who feel unsafe at home often have someone they can ask for support. Most frequently, this is their friends.

Schools play a critical role in children’s lives as they spend a significant amount of time there, developing and shaping their personalities. Schools have always been more than just places of learning – they are also spaces for socialization and psychological support.

Data reveals that eight out of 10 children across the 15 countries have encountered situations that negatively impacted their sense of safety at school. These threats range from physical bullying (24%), to witnessing violence against friends (23%) or even teachers (15%).

For Ukrainian children, these challenges are compounded by regular air raid sirens, which interrupt lessons and force children to seek shelter. A worrying 44% of Ukrainian children reported that these alarms negatively affect their well-being and sense of security at school.

Accordingly, these figures highlight the urgent need to rethink approaches to school safety, establish robust mechanisms for supporting children in educational settings, and create secure zones. Every child has the right to learn in a safe environment, even during challenging times.

The internet and social media have become integral parts of children’s lives, breaking down boundaries and offering new opportunities, but also introducing significant risks.

Research shows that eight out of 10 children know at least one person who has encountered harmful content online. The most common forms of negative influence include misinformation (43%), violent content (35%) and hate speech (34%). These threats are particularly prevalent in countries like Kenya, Qatar, Iraq and Lithuania, where more than 90% of children report having faced online dangers.

Ensuring children’s safety online is an issue that requires attention not only at the family level but also at the state level. We must work to implement programmes that teach digital literacy, develop mechanisms to control the content accessible to children and establish support systems for those affected by the negative impacts of the internet.

I initiated the annual Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, which later evolved into a global platform, to unite world leaders and channel their efforts towards addressing critical social issues. Each of our meetings and initiatives focuses on a specific theme, drawing attention to urgent problems that affect millions of people worldwide, particularly the most vulnerable populations such as children.

As the Protection of Childhood: Security Dimensions for Children and Adolescents report highlights, children across the world face severe challenges, with all the aforementioned factors influencing the younger generation and shaping their worldview.

Our duty is to unite the efforts of the First Ladies and Gentlemen, governments, non-governmental organizations, experts and parents to protect children from these threats.

We must create environments where every child feels safe, no matter where they live, as the issue of protecting childhood transcends national borders. As our research shows, these threats are global and require a global response.

That is why the outcome of the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen was a joint declaration outlining the principles and issues related to children's rights, based on which an expert document was developed and presented during an event at the subsequent UN General Assembly's Summit of the Future.

This event was initiated by the Global Platform for the Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen, marking the expansion of the project and highlighting the relevance of this issue for the entire world.

Indeed, during the UN's Summit of the Future, we held an event titled Securing the Future for Children: Addressing New Challenges for Soft Power, which was co-hosted by Ukraine, Estonia, Belize, Lithuania, Suriname, Finland, Malawi, Guatemala, the UK, Canada and UNICEF. The then-First Lady of the United States, Dr Jill Biden, delivered a special speech.

During the event, we underscored the critical need for restoring and safeguarding children’s rights at both national and international levels and emphasised why collaboration and partnerships between nations will be key to addressing the challenges that threaten the safety and future of the younger generation.

The responsibility for the safety of children lies with each of us – with governments, international organizations, parents and educators. Therefore, I call on each of us to be proactive, vigilant and ready to act.

I urge you to join the joint declaration, to meet and discuss the expert document together, because it is today that we are laying the foundation for the lives of future generations, and each of us is responsible for ensuring that this foundation is strong and secure, and that the world remains safe for children everywhere.