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It is a priority of the international community to stop grave violations against children impunity and punish those responsible for this. In many places, conflict has caused heavy casualties and displacement of people, particularly children.
The nature of conflict is changing and civilians are increasingly in the first line. The toll on children is more brutal than ever. All parties to the conflict must do everything possible to better protect children and make protection of civilians an integral part of military planning. The report explicitly cites 56 games, both state and non state, for committing grave violations against children.
Children continue to suffer even when advanced by action plans to release child soldiers in many situations of concern in Burundi, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda
Today, in 20 situations of concern around the world, children are being brutalized and callously used to advance the agendas of adults. It has been estimated that over 2 million children have died in armed conflicts, another 6 million have been permanently disabled, and more than 250,000 children continue to be exploited as child soldiers. Increasingly, children and women are the first victims of war.
The Secretary General stated in his report concerns about many issues such as increasing cases of recruitment or re-recruitment of children across borders and in refugee camps or internally displaced due to lack of security around the camps. Places that should be a safe place for children are increasingly the main targets of attacks by armed groups.
It is more common that children are detained for their alleged association with armed groups in violation of international standards. There are also indications that child trafficking in conflict areas is becoming a trend increasingly transnational, linked to complex international criminal networks. Such networks often fuel conflicts by facilitating the conversion of natural resources such as diamonds, coltan and timber in the means and instruments of war that have led to increased victimization and involvement of children in conflicts.
The wide and easy availability of small arms and light weapons in conflict and conflict areas remains a major factor in enabling the recruitment and use of child soldiers. These weapons are increasingly cheap and simple to operate and carry, therefore easily placed in the hands of children that can be quickly trained to use them.
The advances include:
Increase global awareness on issues related to children affected by armed conflict, development and strengthening of international norms and standards for the protection of children, constant attention to the question by the General Assembly and the Human Rights Council; the placement of children, greater inclusion of children and armed conflict in the United Nations system
Mission: Children being abused and manipulated to do what is incorrect has grown out of control. There are various places where the UN has not been able to control the fighting and the using of children as soldiers, but that does not mean that we should stop trying. How can we protect them from sexual and mental abuse during armed conflict? We must also not forget that just being moved away from their homes, many times after part of their family has dies, is a very tramatic event. How can we keep them from becoming child soldiers and if they already are, how can we get them away? What do we need to do to get them back into society? Delegates this a daunting task but we have to keep trying with all that is within our powers to help the children.
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