Despite the fact that many international charters of rights recognize that “the protection of children is in the highest interest of the minors,” their rights are violated on a daily basis in a dramatic way, including through the absolute evil of sexual abuse and child soldiers. Worldwide, more than 250 million children under the age of 14 are forced to work, often in inhuman conditions, in real situations of slavery, and more than half in life-threatening circumstances. This plague afflicts especially the countries of Asia, the Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa, but does not spare the so-called civilized countries of the West.
 

India is the country with the highest rate of child labor, and there the Catholic Church accomplishes an important mission for the defense of children, also by providing free education and primary health care, with programs for the poorest and most marginalized. Thanks to the action to increase awareness, through the integral development of the human person and special attention to children, carried out by Catholics, a law was passed in October 2013 that makes school compulsory for children between 6 and 14 years of age. Card. Oswald Gracias, President of the Indian Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Mumbai, said: «Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and familiar environment, and deserves to have a childhood free from exploitation and abuse».
 

Also in October, 2013, the Minamata Convention for the reduction of mercury emissions was signed by 92 countries. In January, Tanzania, which ranks first in the exploitation of child labor in gold mines—one of the leading causes of mercury poisoning—, joined the 140 adhering countries. In that African country, even children under 10 are employed in heavy and dangerous work in the mines, and many of them are victims of sexual violence or end up in human trafficking.
 

Moreover, the disturbing phenomenon of children “without a name” is also increasing: more than one third of newborn children in the world are not recorded—about 50 million unborn children—and they are potential victims of all kinds of abuse, violence and exploitation. In September 2013, the Community of Sant'Egidio launched the BRAVO! programme (Birth Registration for All Versus Oblivion) to protect the lives of children by encouraging birth registration, even if this registration is late.