EU Statement – UN Security Council Arria-formula Meeting: Addressing the Abduction and Deportation of Children During Armed Conflict: Concrete Steps for Accountability and Prevention

Mr President,

 I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro^*, Albania^*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina^*, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

I want to thank the briefers-especially these very direct personal experiences.

The EU remains appalled by the grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict, particularly the increase of abducted, forcibly transferred and/or deported children. This global problem requires urgent international action and our strongest condemnation. Abductions or forced deportations must never take place.  Every effort should be made to reunite children with their families or legal guardians and address the long‑lasting consequences by providing reintegration and necessary support always with the best interest of the child in focus.

We are strong supporters of the mandate of the UN Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict and we welcome the Guidance Note on Abductions. We thank all UN entities engaged in monitoring and reporting as well as NGOs whose reports contribute to further investigations.

Wherever armed conflict takes place – from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Colombia, Syria, DRC, Yemen, Ukraine-, parties must comply with international law, including humanitarian law and international human rights law, paying particular attention to children’s special protection needs.  

Global initiatives, such as the Paris Principles and Commitments, Vancouver Principles, and the Safe Schools Declaration, provide additional tools to uphold children’s rights and strengthen child protection, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict. We encourage all Member States to further their commitments by considering endorsing and implementing these initiatives.

We are horrified by the impact on children of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Children have been killed and maimed, schools and hospitals have been attacked in blatant violation of international law. Russia’s practice of forcibly transferring and deporting Ukrainian children is a violation of international humanitarian law and the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that it amounts to war crimes. The arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court against the Russian President and the Commissioner of Children’s Rights on 17 March 2023 are a key development to holding the perpetrators accountable for their most serious crimes under international law. The EU will continue to support the ICC in pursuing its mandate in the investigation into the situation in Ukraine. Perpetrators will not go unpunished.

The EU has imposed sanctions against 16 individuals responsible for the deportation and forced adoption of Ukrainian children since July 2022, including Ms. Lvova-Belova.  

Russia has an obligation under international law to provide comprehensive reliable information about the forcibly transferred and deported children and their whereabouts and to return them to their families and communities in line with the best interest of every child.

We urge the Russia Federation to cease all actions that violate the right of children, allow the respective UN entities to have access to, collect reliable data and verify information with a view of facilitating the return of the children.  

Thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.