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UN Report on abuse against children in conflicts
Dozens of conflicts around the world are still robbing children of their childhood, according to a new UN report that reviews progress since the groundbreaking 1996 study on children in armed conflict by Graça Machel. The report, by the special representative of the UN Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict and Unicef, highlights the changing and devastating impact of conflicts on children, says a Unicef press release received in Dhaka.
The report notes that advances have been made in protecting children from war crimes such as unlawful recruitment by armed forces and groups and sexual violence. It also urges the international community to take concrete actions to stop abuses of children in armed conflict. "The international community has been very active in developing a solid legal protection framework," said Radhika Coomaraswamy, special representative of the UN Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict. "But much more must be done to ensure compliance, to fight impunity and to address all violations against children."
Over the past decade, conflict has impacted children more brutally than ever. They are victims of strikes against schools and of abductions aimed at forcing them to serve as combatants, sex slaves or servants. And in conflict zones their vulnerability is often greatly increased because violence claims their first line of defence - their parents. "Threats to children caught in conflict are increasing," said Unicef Executive Director Ann M Veneman.
"They are no longer just caught in the crossfire. They are increasingly the intended targets of violence, abuse and exploitation, victims of myriad armed groups that prey on civilians."
But the damage that war wreaks on children's lives is not limited to attacks by combatants. Malnutrition, disease, displacement and poverty also threaten them. The report urges all UN member states to fulfil their responsibilities to children, by providing them with access to basic services like education, health, nutrition, water and sanitation. "The needs of children must be prioritised before, during and after conflict. They must be part of all peace-making and peace-building processes," said Coomaraswamy. Other key recommendations include a call to end impunity for those responsible for heinous crimes against children. This means ensuring prosecution of war crimes and adherence to relevant international norms, many of which have been established since the original Machel study was published.
Ten years ago the original landmark Machel study alerted the world to the brutal realities faced by children recruited by armed groups and on the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. The follow-up strategic review offers concrete recommendations for the next decade, including a call for member states and civil society to safeguard children living in over 50 conflict zones around the world, as well as those struggling in post-conflict settings.
Source: UNICEF
