Anonymously and through an interpreter, the 16-year-old called on ambassadors to strengthen protection and security in conflict zones to ensure that children like him never have to play an active role in the horrors of war.
“When I was born 16 years ago, there were already armed conflicts in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the child began, talking about the deteriorating situation and how children have been the biggest victims.
“While walking to school, I was forced to join an armed group.“
The child’s testimony highlighted the cruel reality faced by many children in conflict zones.
Harsh realities
“Two months ago, during armed attacks on two of our neighboring villages, children were targeted for kidnapping and forced to join armed groups, while others were kidnapped to hold their families for ransom. This led to the murder of many children whose families did not have the resources to pay the ransom demanded” said the child, describing how schools and hospitals are being attacked and used as military bases.
The child recounted personal experiences of being kidnapped and forced to join an armed group.
“We cried and trembled and begged them to let us go home to our families, but they wouldn’t listen. Then they started beating us and keeping us in the bush. We were heavily guarded and they had ordered to kill anyone who tried to flee.”
The testimonies contain vivid descriptions of the hardships they endured, such as looting food and robbing vehicles, with girls taken as ‘wives’ by soldiers.
“Life was not rosy as dry cassava was the main food, and I was also afraid of wild animals in the bush.”
UN photo/Loey Felipe
A broad view of the UN Security Council meeting on children and armed conflict.
Personal plea for ambassadors
After three years of camping, the child managed to escape and was eventually supported by the Congolese government’s child demobilization program. Now that the child is back in school, she is working with the Children’s Parliament to raise awareness about children’s rights.
“I want to urge the United Nations Security Council to work together to provide assistance to children affected by conflict,” the child stressed.
“This assistance will help protect children, help them access education and health care and protect children from violence in environments where their rights are violated.”
Unprecedented violations
The testimony was part of the Security Council’s open debate on children and armed conflict, in which the 15-member body is assessing the Secretary-General’s positions. annual report in addition to in-depth briefings by senior UN officials, civil society and experts.
For the period from January to December 2023, the report revealed “extreme levels” of violence against children in an armed conflict, with unprecedented numbers of killings and mutilations.
Last year, the UN verified an appalling 32,990 serious violations against 22,557 children in 26 conflict zones, the highest annual number in almost a decade, Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, told Security Council members.
The highest numbers of serious violations in 2023 occurred in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories – including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem – and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan.
Violations against children covered by the report include kidnapping, murder, mutilation, recruitment or use in armed forces and groups, attacks on schools or hospitals, rape or other serious sexual violence, and denial of access for humanitarian organizations.
© UNICEF/Ashley Gilbertson
Young classmates hang out at their badly damaged school in a village in northern Ukraine.
The trampling of children’s rights must stop
Ms Gamba stressed that the only way forward is through cooperation, solidarity and the political will to mitigate, stop and ultimately end and prevent violations against children.
Protecting children from conflict is essential to breaking the cycle of violence, she said, calling for a culture of shared responsibility to protect children. Peaceful dispute resolutions are needed to provide protection when peace efforts fall short.
Respect for international law “is the minimum condition for the protection of children,” she stressed.
“Despite the solid international consensus reached on these issues, the parties to the conflict are blatantly trampling on children’s rights, with little or no consequences,” she said. “This has to stop.”
UN officials repeat calls for protection
The Security Council also heard from former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his capacity as Vice-President of The Elders, and from Ted Chaiban, Deputy Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund.UNICEF).
Mr Ban stressed that there should be no impunity for those who commit crimes against children anywhere in the world.
Mr Chaiban called on the Security Council to protect children from harm, promote peace and engage in sustainable diplomacy to end and prevent conflict, adding that humanitarian, peace and development actors stand ready to provide support.
