IPOH: Children of all faiths and backgrounds are disproportionately affected by poverty, representing half of those subsisting on less than the bare minimum despite comprising only a third of the global population, said the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.
His Royal Highness said that children are also suffering disproportionately in humanitarian crises and conflict situations.
There are now four million children in Sudan facing acute malnutrition, while in Ukraine, the United Nations (UN) estimates that 3.5 million children are living under severe to catastrophic levels of need. In Gaza, half of the 1.7 million people displaced from their homes are children.
“These children are losing their families, their homes, their loved ones and, all too often, tragically, their lives. Even those who survive through conflict and famine are at risk of losing their futures.
“Because all too often, children living through these situations do not have access to an education. Almost all children in Sudan are now out of school; and in Gaza, the latest UN estimates suggest that at least 80 per cent of schools have been destroyed in the war,” Sultan Nazrin said in his address at the 7th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation (WCIT): ‘Together We Stand: Muslims and Global Humanity here today.
Also present Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
Sultan Nazrin said the scale of the destruction is such that scholars worldwide have now coined a shameful new word ‘scholasticide’ in the human lexicon.
The Perak ruler said nearly 250 million children worldwide are out of school today, which is a staggering figure, and due to the correlation between poverty and poor school provision, many of those millions are in the Muslim world.
“Despite global progress on achieving gender parity, there are still a disproportionate number of young girls missing out on education in regions in crisis, with female students two and a half times more likely to be out of school in countries experiencing conflict,” Sultan Nazrin said.
Sultan Nazrin said a sustained focus on female education in Malaysia has resulted in a significant increase in the percentage of women enrolled in tertiary education, from only 10 per cent in the 1950s to around 50 per cent now.
According to Sultan Nazrin, literacy rates have improved dramatically over the past 30 years or so across the Islamic world, with 25 Muslim-majority countries achieving literacy rates of over 90 per cent, which is well above the global average as of 2018.
Therefore, His Royal Highness said Muslim countries must invest in opportunities for children around the world because they are the problem-solvers of tomorrow.
“We must stand up for every child’s right to an education, even in conflict and crisis situations, and we must remember that this is about ensuring a brighter future for humanity.”
Sultan Nazrin said Muslims across the globe must feel the pain together with the victims, whether in Gaza or Sudan, and Muslims must recognise the pain of non-Muslims too in other conflict situations as the world strives for a truly global understanding of humanity.
As countering the evils of poverty and conflict is no easy task, the Perak ruler hoped everyone can see there are reasons for optimism because there are success stories amid the challenges.
“We have made progress before, and we will make progress again. Particularly in the sphere of education, if we invest, then we will see results, enabling our global community to stand together not only for today, but for all our tomorrows as well,” Sultan Nazrin added.
