There can be no global security without respect for children. We have to be more than just observers of children's suffering, we have to be partners with them in their struggles.

We must pay attention to the millions of children of this generation who are caught up in armed conflicts. How can we protect them from the worst consequences of war? And when hostilities cease, how can we take the war out of them? By eliminating landmines, controlling the sale of small arms, raising the age of recruitment ... are all essential measures. By reuniting children with their families and providing programs of physical and psychological rehabilitation.

There can be no global security without respect for children. We have to be more than just observers of children's suffering, we have to be partners with them in their struggles.

I've never ceased to be amazed at the survival skills of poor children. I've learned how much children can actually do for themselves if only we provide the necessary means. That part is up to us.