On the 20th of November, World’s Children’s Day is commemorated as a time for reflection on our progress and the critical work that remains to uphold the rights of every child.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), a cornerstone of the United Nations, sets out the rights and needs of children. Despite over thirty years since its adoption in 1989, it’s evident that countless children still suffer daily from violence, abuse, and oppression, especially those in areas of armed conflict.
In response, the United Nations Security Council has called for annual reports on six grave violations against children in armed conflict: recruitment and use, killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.
In 2022, the UN verified 27,180 violations affecting 18,890 children in 24 situations. Tragically, 2023 saw a dramatic increase in violations against children. Ongoing conflicts in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Somalia, Sudan, Israel, and the State of Palestine have seen a worrying surge in armed violence and violations against children.
For instance, in Gaza, thousands of children have been killed, maimed, and denied humanitarian aid. Similarly, Sudan has seen intense hostilities since April, resulting in widespread killing and maiming of children and sexual violence. The Sahel and Lake Chad basin report cases of children falling victim to armed conflict, and in Afghanistan, girls are deprived of education beyond the 6th grade.
Explosive ordnance remains a major threat to children in conflict zones such as Colombia, Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Ukraine. Additionally, counter-terrorism measures have led to the deprivation of liberty for thousands of children in camps.
However, there are glimmers of hope in declining violations against children in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, the Philippines, and Yemen. These positive changes are attributed to the intentional measures taken by parties to conflict to protect children, including engaging with the United Nations, declaring ceasefires, and initiating peaceful dialogues.
It is clear that without genuine political will to resolve conflicts and without upholding international humanitarian and human rights law, the plight of children will persist. And without prioritizing children at the heart of our actions, the possibility of ensuring every child’s rights and needs, as outlined in the CRC, remains bleak.
This World’s Children’s Day is not a cause for celebration but a time to acknowledge the regrettable and shameful reality our children face. It’s time to act to protect them and uphold our basic humanity. It is our duty to stop the war on children and strive to provide a hopeful world for every child.
