Children’s Appeal

The 26th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World
on Article 51 of the Indian Constitution
From a School’s Vision to a Global Call to Action for
Safeguarding the Future & Well-being of an estimated 2 Billion Children Worldwide

In the rubble of war, a mother's silent prayer:
The image, captured by photographer Mohammed Abed for Getty Images, featured in CNN, represents the human cost of war, the fragility of childhood and family, and the resilience of those forced to endure devastation beyond their control.

“What if our children and grandchildren one day question us as to why humanity invested more in conquering the skies, commercialising the future, and weaponising nations than in protecting the fragile world: the only home we have ever known?”

In 2022, over 450 million children were residing in ‘high-risk’ conflict-affected regions across the world, a shocking number published in a UNICEF report. Over the past two decades, this number has almost doubled, exposing countless young lives to displacement, violence, trauma, and environmental hazards that threaten their education, health, and overall survival.

And these are just the visible markers of a deeper crisis. In a world haunted by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Palestine conflict, violence in Sudan, and countless other cross-border conflicts, the current and future generations yet to be born face an inheritance riddled with:

  • Insecurity & armed conflicts, jeopardising life, liberty, and the right to grow in peace
  • Irreversible climate crisis, threatening habitats, food security, and available resources
  • Health crises & pandemic vulnerabilities, exposing inequality and gaps in global cooperation & legal frameworks
  • Pervasive cyber threats, undermining privacy, education, and safety in an increasingly interconnected world
  • A fractured global order that struggles to enforce peace, protect the vulnerable, and uphold justice, leaving children deprived of opportunities, resources, and justice

These turbulent times, where nations and their citizens often don’t see eye to eye, pose some unavoidable, extremely crucial questions–

  • Can Smart Coalitions of nations act decisively to advance global priorities for the sake of children?
  • Can issue-based alliances drive reforms where formal multilateral mechanisms falter?
  • How can legal systems balance change and continuity, while preserving fundamental rights and justice principles?

What role should judicial institutions play in safeguarding the future of our planet and its young citizens?

This year, the 26th ICCJW, scheduled from 19th to 24th November 2025 at the World Unity Convention Centre, CMS Kanpur Road Campus, will address critical questions like these, and more.

In fostering this dialogue, the 26th ICCJW seeks to establish law as a stabilising force, while shaping an inclusive, peaceful, sustainable, and democratic world order for all. It is a pivotal, transformative platform for the global judiciary to impart wisdom and chart a visionary course for the future because if we fail to safeguard our children, what legacy will we leave behind after all? 

The 26th ICCJW calls for reflection, dialogue, and decisive action, providing a space where today’s students can engage with world leaders to shape solutions for the challenges that will define the future.

We warmly invite all eminent dignitaries and participants to share their insights and perspectives, and look forward to a meaningful collaboration.

Children’s Appeal to the World Judiciary

To
 The Hon. Members of the World Judiciary
 at the 26th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World

Subject: Providing a safe future for children of the world and the protection of their various rights in a united and peaceful world.

Your Lordship,

We, the 64,000+ students of City Montessori School, Lucknow, India, on behalf of the world’s over 2.5 billion children and generations yet unborn, beg to submit this Appeal and hereby submit as follows:

  1. The present global situation is grim owing to a large stockpile of nuclear weapons, as well as chemical and biological weapons capable of destroying a large number of people and landscapes. In the case of another world war, which can be triggered accidentally or deliberately, it may lead to large-scale destruction.
  2. The ongoing wars in the world have resulted in large-scale death and destruction. Millions have become homeless, and a large number of children have become destitute and orphans. The fear of the escalation of war has shaken us. In such a situation, world leadership and intelligentsia must make earnest efforts for peaceful solutions of problems in the interest of humanity, especially in the interest of children, unless it is too late.
  3. International terrorism has shaken the world, especially us children, and we feel that we are not safe anywhere. Open and continued atrocities inflicted upon young girls, children and women horrify us.
  4. Environmental degradation and climate change are destroying our planet, which creates in our minds a feeling that our very existence is in danger.
  5. We, the children of the world, feel that in such a situation, our future is not safe and that our elders are not doing enough to save us from such agony, and we are continuously living under the danger of destruction by nuclear holocaust, global warming, environmental destruction or by a terrorist’s bullet;
  6. The plight of children is evident from U.N. figures, according to which thousands of children under the age of five die each day from malnutrition and preventable diseases; in the last three decades, millions of children were killed in wars or became handicapped, millions became homeless and lost their parents or were separated from them; thousands have been exploited as soldiers, bearers and mine-workers; children throughout the world are forced to work under hazardous and often fatal conditions; millions of children, especially girls, never begin school;
  7. The United Nations adopted on 20th November 1989, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which provides for, among others,
    (a) equal rights for children without discrimination,
     (b) right to life and right to develop,
     (c) right to protection from all forms of violence, neglect, abuse and mistreatment,
     (d) right to play, rest and live in a healthy environment,
     (e) right against forced employment in hazardous work and as a child soldier in armed conflicts,
     (f) right to education and proper care, and such other rights.

But the situation of children has not improved, and a vast majority of the world’s children are living in want and misery and are deprived of their various rights as children, whom our elders profess to love and care for.

  1. On one hand, huge resources are being squandered on the production of weapons of mass destruction and on war preparedness; on the other hand, owing to paucity of resources, a very large number of children all over the world are divested of their rights to education, food, medical aid, shelter and clothing and to live in peace and security.
  2. According to the International Peace Research Institute, Stockholm, expenditure on defence by various countries of the world during the year 2022 was estimated as equivalent to 2.24 trillion (2240 billion) US dollars, which comes to about 6.575 billion US dollars per day. A very small percentage of this expenditure can meet expenditure on universal basic education, basic health and nutritional care for all, and provide clean water and sanitation worldwide.
  3. Despite the efforts of the United Nations Organisation, there has been large-scale violence and wars. Millions of people have been killed and millions of children have either died, or maimed or have been orphaned due to wars, disease, hunger or malnutrition. Decision makers do not appear to be concerned with our plight, and it has compelled us to approach Your Lordships.
  4. The above situation demands complete transformation of the present world order because protecting the rights of the children all over the world is the moral responsibility of the international community which can be met only by enactment of enforceable world law, enacted by a duly constituted World Parliament, aimed at addressing and redressing the above-mentioned global issues and problems and for providing peace for peaceful settlement of international disputes;
  5. That, the World Judiciary is held in highest regard as the Judges are dedicated to justice, impartiality and regard to universal values and law and are highly esteemed and trusted by all sections of society and, as such, we, the children of the world, have full faith that your views and directions shall carry more weight and shall stir the conscience of decision makers and compel them to act in a positive way for fulfilling our demands. We also believe that the World Judiciary will, through its pronouncements, direct world leaders to abide by the provisions of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Therefore, we, the students of the City Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow, India, on our own behalf and on behalf of over 2.5 billion children of the world and generations yet-to-be-born, do hereby appeal to the Hon’ble members of the World Judiciary to support our call for ensuring a safe ecology and a safe future for us and also to protect our various rights as children, including right to proper food, nutrition, shelter, clothing, safe drinking water, health services, education and above all, an atmosphere of love, unity, goodwill and world unity and peace to enable us to grow into fine adulthood and to contribute our mite in making the planet Earth a perfectly peaceful and prosperous global village.

CMS
CMS
Scroll to Top