UN SECURITY COUNCIL OPEN DEBATE ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT
Statement on behalf of Canada, Australia and New Zealand (CANZ) delivered by H.E. Mr James Larsen, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations
25 June 2025
I am pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of CANZ: Canada, New Zealand, and my own country, Australia.
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 deeply concerning findings: 41,370 grave violations—a 25% increase—including a 35% rise in rape and other forms of sexual violence. This is unacceptable.
Each child killed, maimed, recruited, or raped is not only a victim of war, but of our collective failure to uphold the principles we claim to defend.
CANZ strongly condemns all violations against children by any State or party, in any conflict. The report notes that Member State forces were the main perpetrators of killings, maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access. This demands urgent, transparent, and meaningful accountability, including justice and reparations.
We are appalled by escalating violations against children in Ukraine, including attacks on schools and hospitals and denial of aid. We urge Russia to stop these actions, allow humanitarian access in occupied areas, and fully cooperate with the United Nations to reunite abducted children with their families.
CANZ reiterates calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate release of hostages. All parties must uphold international humanitarian law, including the protection of children. We call on Israel to facilitate safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access through a UN-led response grounded in humanitarian principles.
We call on all parties in Myanmar to prioritise child protection, including ending forced conscription, abduction, and sexual violence. We also condemn the regime’s indiscriminate attacks, including airstrikes on schools.
Recognising the harm caused by explosive weapons, we urge Member States to implement disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control obligations, including assessing the risk of arms being used to commit violence against children.
CANZ calls on listed non-state armed groups to immediately cease violations against children and respect their special protections.
We remain deeply concerned by the recruitment and use of children by Haitian gangs and condemn the grave violations of sexual violence and rape. We welcome the listing of the Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs in the report’s annex.
Child survivors need long-term, gender- and age-responsive care, including medical, mental health, psychosocial, and sexual and reproductive health services. We urge Member States to support this work.
President, CANZ reaffirms our unwavering commitment to international law, including international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and international refugee law. We call for accountability for violations of these international rules, particularly where they affect children, through appropriate national courts or international mechanisms like the ICC and the ICJ.
Finally, CANZ emphasises the importance of support to the UN’s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, and a transparent, evidence-based listing process in the Secretary-General’s report. Perpetrators must be listed according to clear, consistent criteria—no exceptions, no political compromise.
Children are not pawns of war; they are our future.
Thank you.