EU Statement – UN Security Council meeting: Children and Armed Conflict
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Mr President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina* , as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.
It is deeply concerning that we once again gather in this Chamber to debate a report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict that shows an unprecedented increase in grave violations committed against children in armed conflict situations. Following an already staggering rise over the course of 2023 and 2024, we are now confronted with a further upsurge of verified violations in 2025. The increase of 34% in verified cases of killings of children, as well as the notable increase in multiple violations affecting one and the same child, are nothing short of horrifying. We note with deep concern that for the first time ever, government forces are responsible for the majority of verified violations. We also note with concern emerging risks linked to the use of new technologies in conflict, including in the recruitment and targeting of children.
Children face unique vulnerabilities in situations of armed conflict and have a much lower threshold of harm than adults. Behind the concise language and numbers in the report lie devastating individual stories of suffering, which irreparably impact or end young lives. We have a responsibility to keep them in mind as we discuss the topic - and to ensure that in doing so, we speak not only about children, but with them.
We also have the responsibility to do everything we can to prevent grave violations against children, and to ensure those responsible are held accountable. In doing so, the best interest of the children involved must be a primary consideration in judicial and non-judicial proceedings. We urge all parties to armed conflict to uphold their obligations under international law and take concrete steps to end and prevent violations against children, including through joint action plans with the UN. We also call on States to cooperate with international justice mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court. We have a collective responsibility to invest greater political capital in placing accountability for grave violations and crimes against children in armed conflict securely at the top of the international agenda.
Looking at specific country situations, we draw attention to the fact that the Russian armed forces continue to be listed as responsible for committing grave violations against children for the fourth consecutive year in the context of the illegal and unjustified Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, and note that all countries repeatedly listed are prohibited from participating in UN peacekeeping operations in accordance with UNSC resolution 2242 (2015). We reiterate our urgent call on Russia and Belarus to immediately ensure the safe and unconditional return of all unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children, and to cease any further practices of deportation, separation from families, changes of citizenship, adoption or placement in foster families, militarisation and indoctrination, in line with the December 2025 resolution of the UN General Assembly. We appreciate the recent visits of the SRSG CAAC to Kyiv and Moscow, and her and other UN entities’ and mediators’ efforts to achieve their return. We expect the Russian Federation to translate these discussions into concrete action by urgently developing, signing and implementing, together with the United Nations, an Action Plan containing clear, time-bound commitments to end and prevent grave violations against children.
We are appalled at the grave violations committed against children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel. We stress the need for rapid, safe and unimpeded delivery and sustained distribution of humanitarian aid at scale into and throughout Gaza, call on all parties to facilitate full and unimpeded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip to respond to the urgent needs of the population, and urge for aid to be effectively distributed in accordance with international law, including by UN agencies. We also condemn the deteriorated situation for children in the West Bank, increase in settler violence, and grave violations committed against children in Lebanon, as well as the terrorist attacks against Israel.
We are furthermore appalled by the continuously high number of grave violations committed against children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Sudan. We note the report’s observation that the global decrease in funding for child protection and the drawdown of peace operations have significantly reduced the UN’s capacity to verify grave violations and to implement prevention efforts, and to provide response and reintegration programming. We are consequently aware that these numbers may reflect only the tip of the iceberg.
Mr President,
We are proud to have contributed to the extension of the mandate of the Special Representative for CAAC by the General Assembly for a further four years, through the 2025 resolution on the Rights of the Child we co-facilitated together with Uruguay on behalf of GRULAC.
We also chose CAAC as the theme of the corresponding resolution at the Human Rights Council in spring 2026. Its content was notably informed by consultations with conflict-affected children across the globe, allowing us to hear first-hand about their needs and concerns.
We continue to work closely with our partners to protect children in armed conflict situations, including though dedicated AU-EU PSC meetings on the topic, and welcome the appointment of the AU Special Envoy.
We encourage Member States that have not done so to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, to endorse and implement the Paris Principles and Commitments and Vancouver Principles, and to abide by the principles of the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and the Safe Schools Declaration.
Clearly, the UN’s CAAC tools are needed more than ever. We underline the need to increase predictable and sustainable financial support for the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, as well as for child protection capacities in UN peace operations, including in the context of mission drawdown and transition.
We also highlight our unwavering support to SRSG Frazier and her Office, and are deeply concerned by attacks and disinformation against her office and person.
Thank you.
- North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.