For the Rising Generations: DPRK

-Our Future Reflected in Paintings of Children

Recently, the 31^st International Competition and Exhibition of Children’s Painting and the 8^th Asian Exhibition of Children’s Painting were held in Russia and China. Tens of pieces of our children’s paintings took the first, second and third place at the exhibitions and their exceptional talents attracted attention of many participants.

Our children’s works were highly praised at the exhibitions as they run through with the themes of national tradition, love for nature, dynamic and true life. This served as another occasion for the world to know the reality of the DPRK, the kingdom of children, and the bright future of the socialist system.

Media of several countries of the world reported that the Korean children fully demonstrated at the exhibitions their hopes and talents coming into full bloom under the superior socialist system of education.

While watching the works of prodigies, the audience expressed their great envy and admiration as follows:

It is today’s reality where gifted children can hardly display their talents if their parents cannot afford it. There are still many poor prodigies in the world. Children are receiving a superior education and growing up happily under the ardent love of the esteemed General Secretary Kim Jong Un who always puts them in the first place and spares nothing for them even in the protracted global health crisis. These children, masters of future, will make Korea’s tomorrow brighter.

In human history, there have been educators who dedicated all their assets and life to the education of younger generation. And not a few politicians pledged to enact social welfare policy for children.

But we cannot find such a benevolent father as the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un both in the past and present world. He has a lofty affection and love for the children and firmly protects their bright future even in the face of manifold trials.

So all the children in our country, regardless of whoever and wherever they may be, are living their dreams and honing their talents to their hearts’ content in the advanced education system which discovers children’s budding talent even before their parents find it and train them to be the up-and-coming talent and genius.

Our tomorrow will be brighter and rosier thanks to the respected Comrade Kim Jong Un, who is building up a grand flower garden of love for future.

-Children in Two Different Worlds

A great number of children are living below the poverty line in the U.K. - the self-styled “advanced state of human rights”.

In the U.K., with its economic conditions ever worsening, one third of families with children aged under 5 are reportedly impoverished and millions of children are languishing in hunger.

It is not accidental that children's commissioner for England deplored at a hearing held in the House of Commons, saying that many families are suffering from hardships of life due to the COVID-19 crisis and skyrocketing prices, and among them children are the most vulnerable.

In the 2021 report on the human rights situation of children announced by “Kids’ Rights Foundation”, an international organization that oversees protection of the rights of the child, the U.K. was ranked 169^th among 182 countries studied in the world.

The issue of child poverty arises as a very serious social problem in the U.K.  bragging of “brilliant material life”. This fact shows that not all the rich and developed countries can guarantee the future of the children.

Though everything is scarce, our state regards the children - the masters of future as kings and queens of the country and the work for the posterity as the most important state affairs. And it spares no treasure for them.

During the period when the maximum emergency anti-epidemic system is operated due to the inflow of malignant virus, nutritious food including infant milk powder, rice powder and milk is supplied incessantly to infants and schoolchildren throughout the country. All the new pupils and students of primary schools and universities across the country ranging from remote islands to mountain villages were supplied with new-styled summer school uniforms, shoes and bags.

Seeing the bright faces of the children dressed in new school uniforms and going to schools with happiness and joy, our people are convinced that better and brighter future is promised for our children.

-Legally Guaranteed Child Rights

Children in any country have the right to special protection and care. This constitutes one of the most important issues which have a bearing on development of a country and nation, and future of mankind.

Among human rights-related conventions, it is the Convention on the Rights of the Child that has as many as 196 signatories. This fact alone suffices to show the extent of the worldwide attention on the protection of child rights.

But according to UNICEF, child-related crimes amount up to 170,000 cases for the past ten years; 22 million children suffer annually from various diseases such as pneumonia; and as many as 175 million poverty-stricken children cannot afford pre-school education.

In capitalist countries as well, despite their much-touted “provision of human rights”, numerous children are treated like tradable goods by human trafficking and forced labour; even the basic rights they deserve are ruthlessly trampled upon.

In our country however, all children exercise equal rights to the full from the principle: “Children deserve the best!”, regardless of sex, status of their parents or protectors, property ownership and physical defect.

The Law on the Protection and Promotion of Children’s Rights, the Law on the Nursing and Upbringing of Children and other child-related laws ensure that all the children are provided with the rights and benefits on preferential basis. Not long ago, the DPRK Law on Childcare was also adopted, legally stipulating state policies and measures for childcare.

The further consolidation and development of the universal compulsory twelve-year education system and the superior socialist healthcare system in our country has ensured that the children are brought up strongly both mentally and morally in good physical condition, thus fully guaranteeing the rights of children in the field of education and public health.

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That is why a news agency of one African country reported that the DPRK would be the only country in the world that ensures on high level children’s rights by combining education and public health for mental and physical development of children, making it a policy and putting it into practice.

Social measures to ensure children’s rights are legally guaranteed under the maximum attention of the country. This makes the future of our Republic ever bright and promising.