UNSC: OPEN DEBATE ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT (CAAC)
27 June 2024
CANZ Statement delivered by Permanent Representative to the UN, H.E. Ambassador James Larsen, Australian Mission to the United Nations
President,
I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of CANZ: Canda, New Zealand, and my own country, Australia. We thank the Republic of Korea for convening today’s Open Debate.
CANZ recognises the efforts of the UN Special Representative, Virginia Gamba, and her office, to protect children affected by armed conflict.
The UN Secretary-General’s annual report on Children and Armed Conflict presents findings of serious concern.
A 21 per cent increase in grave violations committed against children in armed conflict and a 35 per cent increase in the instances of killing and maiming of children is totally unacceptable. This equates to over 22,000 innocent children affected across 26 situations.
These are reportedly the highest numbers ever recorded by the UN Secretary-General. And given the high thresholds and challenges for verification, this does not represent the full scale of violations against children.
It is particularly troubling that state forces are the main perpetrators of the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian assistance.
CANZ strongly condemns any grave violations committed against children by any State or party, and in any conflict.
We strongly urges all States, including the newly listed state actors – the Israeli Armed and Security Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces – to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
We call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Sudan, especially schools, hospitals, water and sanitation systems, and for the facilitation of safe and unhindered humanitarian access.
And we are appalled by the reported widespread abduction and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation, which remains listed for grave violations against children in Ukraine. We reiterate our call for Russia to immediately end its illegal and unjustified war of aggression.
We remain deeply concerned by the reported ongoing killing and maiming of children in the conflict in Yemen, and in particular the recruitment of child soldiers by the Houthis.
CANZ also calls for the six newly listed non-state armed groups – the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, the Alliance des forces de resistance Congolese, Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and affiliated factions, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigades, the Rapid Support Forces, and the Third Front-Tamazuj in Sudan – to immediately cease violations against children.
We reiterate our calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza, the protection of civilians, the immediate release of hostages, and safe, unimpeded and sustained access for humanitarian supplies to enable lifesaving support for civilians in Gaza.
It is imperative that all children, in all conflicts, are protected.
President,
CANZ calls upon all parties to armed conflict to fully comply with their legal obligations and end all grave violations against children.
CANZ encourages all states to join and implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols.
We reaffirm our support for international justice and accountability mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
We encourage all UN member states to increase resources to support monitoring, reporting and data collection regarding grave violations against children. This collection is an essential component of protecting children in at-risk situations.
President,
CANZ recognises the role that action plans can play to end and prevent grave violations against children.
To better protect children in armed conflict, we urge parties to work with the UN to sign and implement action plans with concrete and time-bound steps.
We have a collective responsibility to foster a world that is safe and preserves the rights of children during the horrors of armed conflict.
Thank you.