Security Council Open Debate: Children and Armed Conflict

Statement by Ambassador Marc-André Blanchard, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations

New York, August 2, 2016

Madam President,

I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict, an informal network of 40 interested member states, representing all five regional groups of the UN.

The Group of Friends wishes to reiterate its strong support for the CAAC agenda, for the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and for the UN institutions working to promote the rights of children in armed conflict worldwide.

On this 20th anniversary of the creation of the CAAC mandate by the General Assembly, we welcome the evolution of a stronger normative and institutional framework on CAAC. Today we have robust norms against the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as well as a growing range of tools to monitor and address all grave violations against children.

A key element of the success of the CAAC agenda has been the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism established with the landmark Security Council Resolution 1612 (2005) to document grave violations against children, strengthen accountability, and ensure compliance with international legal standards in cooperation with national governments. It is important that the MRM is able to document the existence of grave violations against children impartially and objectively, based on facts on the ground. Therefore, the UN must deploy appropriate resources to implement its CAAC mandate and the MRM. In this regard, the Group of Friends calls for the maintenance of dedicated resources, leadership, and expertise in order to support child protection work of UN peace operations and the respective agencies which are part of the MRM.

Madam President,

The Group of Friends welcomes the signing of action plans by all eight countries whose Government forces have been listed by the Secretary General for recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, including most recently Sudan. We also commend the SRSG’s efforts through the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign. We urge the full and timely implementation of action plans by governments and non-state actors alike, to halt and prevent violations against children.

Despite these successes, the Group of Friends deplores the increase in the intensity of grave violations against children recorded in several situations of conflict in 2015. In particular, we are deeply concerned about the rise of armed groups employing extreme violence and their recruitment and use of children. The impact on children will be felt for generations to come. We must better consider how to prevent the radicalization and recruitment of children, how to separate children from such groups and reintegrate them into their societies, how to deal with the survivor’s long-term psychological and social implications. Throughout this process, we must not lose sight that these children should be treated as victims, not perpetrators. Moreover, the prevalence of attacks on and the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes remains deeply concerning. The Group of Friends calls on all parties to protect schools and hospitals by upholding the provisions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

The Group of Friends expresses its profound concern regarding the impact of the unprecedented wave of forced displacement on children. We encourage governments to take urgent action to respect the rights of children forcibly displaced as a result of conflict and to ensure, in cooperation with the international community, their protection, access to health and education, and dignified livelihoods for their families. Moreover, today’s armed conflicts are resulting in new physical and psychological disabilities among children, which can make them become even more vulnerable and face a higher risk of becoming victims of violence, discrimination, abuse, and neglect, and require a concerted response.

Lastly, the Group of Friends condemns in the strongest terms ongoing incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse against children, especially if they are committed by UN forces and staff. We call on the international community to redouble its efforts to combat this scourge, and welcome recent efforts undertaken by the UN and member states to prevent these grave violations and to provide support to victims.

Madam President,

Now please allow me to make five short additional points as Canada’s representative.

First, a basic fact: we are particularly horrified by the scale of the rise of armed groups employing extreme violence and their recruitment and use of children.

Second, we call on Member States to be steadfast in their support for the CAAC agenda and for SRSG Zerrougui. Ms. Zerrougui has been a tireless and effective champion of this cause. She needs our political and financial support.

Third, as we have heard many times today, children represent over half of the 60 million displaced persons worldwide. Children also represent over half of the 23 million refugees. If we wish to help these children, one of the simplest ways to do so is to offer them a new home without delay. This is why Canada is so proud to have resettled nearly 30,000 Syrian refugees in the past year. It is also why we feel we have the obligation to welcome even more. The Obama Summit in September is a great occasion for countries to come forward with commitments to welcome more refugees.

Fourth, the UN must do more to help CAAC in peace operations. The UN must redouble its efforts to tackle the scourge of sexual exploitation and abuse against children. In this regard, we welcome the Secretary-General’s commitment to prohibit government armed forces listed in the annexes to his CAAC reports from contributing troops to peacekeeping operations.

Fifth, member states should strengthen their promotion of the CAAC agenda. Building on the success of the Group of Friends of CAAC in New York, Canada is supporting the establishment of local branches of the Group of Friends in Afghanistan, the Philippines, Sudan, and Geneva. It is our hope that such groups will raise awareness, exchange views, coordinate assistance on CAAC issues at a national and regional level.

In sum, Mr. President, much work needs to be done. Yet, it is not enough to deplore the abuses being committed. It is incumbent upon all Member States to do what they can to support children in armed conflict, both at home and abroad.

Canada stands ready to play its part in support of this vital cause.

Thank you.