Protect Our Children – Protect Our Future
- ATE/CHILDREN NOW
- Jun 11, 2011
- 2 min read
Updated: May 7
At the International Scientific Congress GLOBALISTICS 2011: In Search of New Resources for International Development, held at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Children Now’s CEO Ricaardoe Di Done delivered a powerful speech on the urgency of prioritizing children's rights and well-being in both national and global development strategies.
Drawing from his decades of advocacy, Mr. Di Done emphasized the alarming reality: while many believe that children in industrialized countries are protected and thriving, far too many still suffer from neglect, loneliness, and emotional poverty. “Our children are our future,” he said, “and if we fail to care for them, we sabotage the very future we hope to build.”
In his address, he referenced the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and challenged world leaders to act on its promises—not just in words, but in policy and practice. He highlighted preventable child deaths, increasing poverty in wealthy nations, the psychological impact of family breakdowns, and the failures of political systems to invest in prevention and education.
Mr. Di Done proposed six core reforms aimed at improving the lives of children, including:
Introducing early education about parental responsibility.
Creating accessible, always-available reconciliation services for families.
Establishing mandatory, free family mediation systems outside the judicial process.
Changing conflict-laden legal terminology to more collaborative terms.
Creating specialized family courts with psychosocial expertise.
Offering formal complaint mechanisms to address unmet parental responsibilities without returning to court.
He also called for renewed investment in education, stronger intergenerational bonds, and environmental responsibility as essential pillars of a healthy future for all children. Notably, he introduced GAIA 2031, a manifesto connecting the protection of children with the protection of the planet.
“Each of us is responsible for everything and to every human being,” Mr. Di Done concluded, quoting Dostoyevsky. It is a reminder that the well-being of children is not only a political responsibility—it is a moral one.
Click below to read Mr. Di Done’s full 2011 speech from the GLOBALISTICS Congress in Moscow.
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