"Every child deserves a safe childhood." It was in her words that Queen Mathilde began her speech, delivered in English , this Friday, February 10th 2017 at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. In the company of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Didier Reynders, the wife of the King of the Belgians Philippe opened an international conference dealing with children and armed conflicts.

This was organized by Belgium on the occasion of the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. The Palais emphasized that the exchanges focused on "UN child protection policies and regional organizations such as the African Union, the European Union and NATO. The objective is to identify best practices and thus improve the protection of children in armed conflicts ".

Seven months earlier, on Monday, July 11th 2016, Mathilde of Belgium was already speaking on this subject , but in New York. As she flew to Big Apple with Didier Reynders, during a two-day working visit to the United Nations, she spoke about the plight of children in armed conflicts as honorary president of 'Unicef ​​Belgium. It is in this capacity, but also as "advocate of the SDGs", the objectives of sustainable development of the United Nations, that it concluded its speech this Friday, in these terms: "As an Attorney of the objectives of sustainable development And Honorary President of Unicef ​​Belgium, I am personally committed to continuing my efforts to improve the plight of children affected by armed conflict ".
Photo Credits: PAris Match