EU Statement – UN Security Council: Open debate on Children and Armed Conflict

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Madame 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*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, the potential candidate country Georgia, as well as Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

We welcome the 2023 report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict. We are deeply alarmed of the 27,180 grave violations verified in 2022 against 18,890 children in armed conflicts around the world. This is an unacceptably high number and we are dismayed about the increasing numbers of killing and maiming, recruitment of children, attacks on schools and hospitals and abductions, as well as the cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, notably girls that are still underreported.

[As this is an annual exercise, and many of us treat issues of child protection on a daily basis, there could be a tendency to consider today’s debate business as usual. But] we can never allow children to be the victims of conflict. It is simply unacceptable. Especially when it is not only non-State armed groups that have been verified as perpetrators of grave violations, but as is the case for Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, a regular state army. Under international law, States have the primary responsibility to protect, respect, and fulfil children’s rights, both in times of peace and in times of war.

We therefore urge all parties to all conflicts worldwide to cease any violations, and for violators to be held to account. A zero tolerance to violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law needs to be upheld. We call on States to bring to justice all those responsible, and encourage cooperation with international justice mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court.

The EU remains determined to prevent and address the impacts of conflicts on children worldwide. We wish to highlight the following points.

1. We recognize the importance of the work of the office of the SRSG for CAAC, UNICEF and all UN child protection actors on monitoring and verifying data, we also appreciate the contributions of civil society organizations in this regard. They are the eyes and ears in terms of child protection and help in preventing grave violations. We also reiterate the importance of unimpeded and safe access.
2. We welcome the signing of new joint action plans on prevention earlier this year, including in Yemen with Houthis and in Iraq and call on their full implementation. They are also a reminder that we need to re-double the efforts for the sustainable reintegration of children.

3. The Children and Armed Conflict mandate is a valuable mandate that we have a joint responsibility in upholding. We underline the importance of the Secretary-General utilizing clear criteria and procedures in his decisions to list and de-list parties to armed conflict deemed responsible for committing grave violations across all situations contained in the report. In this regard, we note new listing decisions on the Russian armed forces and their affiliates in Ukraine, the Islamic State of the Greater Sahara in Burkina Faso and the Tatmadaw Kyi in Myanmar, and other instances. We call on these actors to fully comply with international law and take action to prevent grave violations against children.

4. As Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression, which approaches the tragic mark of 500 days, has also taken a devastating toll on children, we urge the Russian Federation to abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and to immediately implement measures to protect children. We urge the Russian Federation to immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. Removing all troops is the most efficient way to put an end to grave violations against children.

5. We look forward to the swift implementation of the joint action plan agreed upon with Russia, as well as the voluntarily-developed joint prevention plan with Ukraine, both of which, according to the SG report will be signed soon. Furthermore, we echo the SG's recommendation directing Russia to grant child protection actors access to children transferred to its jurisdiction, with the explicit purpose of facilitating family reunification.

6. The EU will follow closely the developments in Niger and Haiti, both newly designated as “situations of concern” by the SG. We call on these countries to pay specific attention to the protection of children.

7. On top, we are particularly concerned about the increasing number of armed forces being the main perpetrators of grave violations against children. We urge full compliance by all armed forces with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Madame President,

The EU is a staunch supporter of the CAAC mandate. The EU's commitment to providing education in emergency situations, facilitating reintegration efforts, and promoting child protection in various partnerships is evident in its initiatives in South Sudan, Mozambique, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Colombia, to name a few. These efforts exemplify the urgent necessity to intensify our endeavours. For instance, the EU collaborates with the UN within the strategic partnership on peace operations and crisis management for the years 2022-2024, specifically prioritizing child protection.

We expect the Security Council, and its individual members, to uphold its mandate under the relevant CAAC resolutions. There is need to strengthen the mandate and make a stronger link to the protection and respect for International Law and combating climate of impunity.

I Thank you Madame President.

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