Respect of children’s rights in armed conflicts

1. Respect of children’srights in armedconflicts

2. State of the world’schildren • 19.000 children are dyingeveryday (most of themfrompreventablecausesanddiseases) • 1 billionchildren are deprived of one or more services essential • to survival anddevelopment • - 148 millionunder-fives are underweightfortheirage • in developingregions • 61 millionchildren have no access to primaryeducation • More thant 1 millionchildren are sexuallyexploited in prostitutionandpornography

3. Eachyear, 6,9 million childrendie beforetheir5th birthday Global distribution of deathunderage 5

4. 61 millionchildren out of school evolution in recent years

5. Conflicts in the world • In 2011, 37 armedconflictstook place in 30 different places • 27 wereinternalconflicts. 9 wereinternalwithexternal participation and one involvedseveral countries • 6 have reached a « warlevel » thatmeansthat more than 1,000 people werekilled due to combats during one year : Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

6. Direct consequences of war on children • Civilians are the majority of casualties, with children suffering disproportionately • According to UNICEF: • - 2 million children have been killed by conflict over the last decade • - 6 million children have been made homeless • - 12 million have been injured or disabled • - at least 250,000 child soldiers are operating in 25 different conflicts.

7. Indirect consequences of war on children • The indirect effects of war are profound, under-appreciated and preventable • In poor countries death rates can be increased by up to 24 times due to conflicts • 61 million children are out of school in the world, 40 % of which are living in countries affected by a conflict. • Reversely, epidemics, lack of access to medical facilities or a breakdown in food security can also be the basis for conflicts in some cases

8. The story of Ibrahim

9. UN Convention on the rights of the child • was adopted in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly • first legally binding international instrument for children rights • sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols • is ratified by 193 countries

10. UN Convention on the rights of the child • The articles of the Convention may be grouped into 4 categories of rights : • Provision rights (survival and development) • Protectionrights • Participationrights • The Convention rests on 4 major principles : • best interests of the child • survival and development • child’s participation • Non-discrimination

11. UN Convention on the rights of the child • article 38 : governments ensure that children under 15 have no direct part in hostilities. 15 years = minimum age at which an individual can be voluntarily recruited into or enlist in the armed forces. • the Convention is indivisible and its articles are interdependent. • The Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2000) : age 15  18

12. Childrenrecruitment anduse as soldiers Definition A child associated with an armed force or armed group refers to any person below 18 years of age who is, or who has been, recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to children, boys and girls, used as fighters, cooks, porters, spies or for sexual purposes.

13. Mobilization of the international community • Establishment of : • the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict(1996). • a monitoring and reporting mechanism (MRM) – Resolution 1612 (2005) of the Security Council • the International Criminal Court (ICC) (2002) : “conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 and using them to participate actively in hostilities” becomes a war crime. Definition A child associated with an armed force or armed group refers to any person below 18 years of age who is, or who has been, recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to children, boys and girls, used as fighters, cooks, porters, spies or for sexual purposes.

14. Six Grave Violations • In order to advance the goal of protecting children during armed conflict and ending • the impunity of perpetrators, the United Nations Security Council identified • six categories of violations – the so-called six grave violations. • They serve as the basis to gather evidence on violations and include : • Killing or maiming children • Recruitment or use of children as soldiers • Sexual violence against children • Attacks on schools or hospitals • Denial of humanitarian access for children • Abduction of children

15. UNICEF • - was created in 1946 • is the world’s leading child rights organization • supports child survival (health and nutrition, good water and sanitation), quality basic education for all boys and girls, the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS and child’s participation. • worksin 191 countries : - 155 developingandtransitionalcountries • - 36 industrializedcountries • run programs - advocacy • - development assistance • - emergency response (cluster leadership) • has uniquecaracteristics : - scope • - scale, • - knowledge leader • - makesthingsdone)

16. UNICEF in armed conflicts • History and today : - Europe and China • - Biafra • - Former Yugoslavia • - Rwanda • - Sudan • - Mali • - Syria, … • UNICEF’s activities in the field are based on need and rights, not politics. • UNICEF’s mission is to provide special protection for the most vulnerable children : • victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation, • and those with disabilities • UNICEF programs in armed conflicts : - advocacy • - emergency response • - rehabilitation • - cluster leadership (WaSH, education & protection)

17. UNICEF’s work in armed conflicts

18. UNICEF’s work on advocacy

19. UNICEF’s work in Syria • Situation • More than 70,000 Syriankilled • More than 3,1 millionchildrenaffectedby the crisis • 1.500.000 refugees (50 % of these are children) • In the city of Aleppo, only 6% of the children are at school • UNICEF’swork • In neighbouringcountries • WaSH • Education • Protection • Consolidated appeal : 12-12

20. UNICEF’s work in Syria

21. Thankyou