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Scoop
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Scoop
‘A Moral Failure': Security Council Hears About Grave Violations Against Children Caught In War
'From that day on, our home became a travel bag and our path became that of displacement … My childhood was filled with fear and anxiety and people I was deprived of,' she said, speaking via videoconference from Syria. Sila, now 17, described her experiences during the Syrian Civil War to a meeting of the UN Security Council held on Wednesday to discuss the findings of the Secretary-General's latest report on Children and Armed Conflict. The report documented a 25 per cent increase in grave violations against children in 2024, the largest number ever recorded in its 20-year history. ' This year's report from the Secretary-General once again confirms what too many children already know — that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war,' said Sheema Sen Gupta, director of child protection at the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Seema Sen Gupta, director of child protection and migration at UNICEF, briefs the Security Council. 'Each violation against children in every country around the globe represents a moral failure.' The real scale of the harm The report presented to the Security Council is published annually to document grave violations against children affected by war. It relies entirely on data compiled and verified by the UN, meaning that the real numbers are likely much higher than reported. In 2024, the report documented a record 41,370 grave violations — including killing and maiming, rape, abduction and the targeting of infrastructure such as schools which supports children. 'Each child struck by these attacks carries a story, a stolen life, a dream interrupted, a future obscured by senseless violence and protracted conflict,' said Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, whose office produced the report. Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, briefs the Security Council. While many of these violations occurred during times of conflict — especially as urban warfare is on the rise — grave violations can persist even after a conflict ends. They persist in the unexploded ordinances which still pepper the ground. 'Every unexploded shell left in a field, schoolyard, or alley is a death sentence waiting to be triggered,' said Ms. Sen Gupta. They persist in the spaces which remain destroyed, impeding children from accessing healthcare and education. And they persist in the trauma and injuries which never fully leave a child. Scars that never heal Children who survive the grave violations do not escape unscathed — if they suffered violence, the injuries will stay with them for a lifetime. And even if they were not injured, the trauma remains. 'The physical and psychological scars borne by survivors last a lifetime, affecting families, communities and the very fabric of societies,' said Ms. Gamba. This is why UNICEF and its partners have worked to provide reintegration programmes and psychosocial support for children who are victims of grave violations. Sila said that the trauma of her childhood is still with her, and has pushed her to become an advocate for children in conflicts. 'From that moment on, nothing has felt normal in my life. I've developed a phobia of any sound that resembles a plane, of the dark, and even of silence,' she said. 'This cannot be the new normal' Ms. Gamba called for 'unwavering condemnation and urgent action' from the international community in order to reverse the worrying trends which the report details. ' We cannot afford to return to the dark ages where children were invisible and voiceless victims of armed conflict … Please do not allow them to slip back into the shadows of despair,' she said. Current funding cuts to humanitarian aid are impeding the work of UN agencies and partners to document and respond to grave violations against children. In light of this, Ms. Sen Gupta's call for the Security Council was simple: 'Fund this agenda.' She said that the international community cannot allow this to become 'a new normal,' and reminded the members of the Security Council that children are not and should never be 'collateral damage.' Despite the devastation which the report detailed, there were 'glimmers of hope' according to Ms. Sen Gupta. For example, the Syrian National Army signed an action plan which will prevent the recruitment, killing and maiming of children. Sila also spoke of hope — she hopes that hers is the last generation to suffer these grave violations. 'I am from a generation that survived. Physically,' she said. 'Our bodies survived but our hearts are still living in fear. Please help us replace the word displacement with return, the word rubble with home, the word war with life.'
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
UN: 2024 witnessed record number of grave violations against children in conflicts in nearly 30 years
Geneva: The United Nations (UN) reported that 2024 witnessed the highest number of grave violations against children in armed conflict in nearly 30 years and pointed out that the highest amount of grave violations was documented in the occupied Palestinian territories, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, and Haiti. Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba stated in her briefing to an open debate of the UN Security Council that wars and armed conflicts inflict horrific levels of violence on children. "It is as if parties to war and conflict, and we, the international community, choose to settle our disputes through military means at an enormous cost for our children, rather than choosing to negotiate peace for the benefit of all children," she added. "We cannot continue to stand by and watch with no action what is happening to the children globally, and especially in Gaza. The scale of destruction and suffering borne by the children of Gaza defies and contravenes every human standard. There is no justification for depriving children of access to the means for their survival, including access to food, healthcare, and security," Gamba stressed. The UN official highlighted the importance of providing sustainable resources to mitigate these violations, noting the difficulties they faced in monitoring, verification, and reporting. "The reduction of child protection expertise will lead to the inability to verify violations and, more importantly, identify perpetrators of such violations," she added.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Saudi UN envoy demands global action to protect kids in conflict zones, condemns Gaza violence
NEW YORK CITY: Saudi Arabia's permanent representative to the UN, Abdulaziz Alwasil, called on Wednesday for urgent international action to protect children in conflict zones, warning that failure to do so would undermine efforts to build more stable and prosperous societies. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting convened to discuss the effects of armed conflicts on youngsters, Alwasil emphasized the importance of protecting children, describing it as a legal obligation and moral responsibility, particularly in nations affected by prolonged violence. During the session, UN officials detailed an unprecedented surge in the number of grave violations against children during armed conflicts worldwide. The meeting followed the publication of a devastating annual report by the UN secretary-general's special representative for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba. It documented 41,370 grave violations against children during 2024, a 25 percent increase compared with the previous year, and the highest number since the UN's Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism was established in 2005. The verified abuses of children spanned 25 countries and included killings, maiming, recruitment, abductions, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of access to humanitarian assistance. 'This year marked a devastating new record,' Gamba told council members. 'Behind these numbers are the shattered stories, dreams and futures of over 22,000 children.' She cited a sharp increase in 'compounded violations,' in which children were abducted, recruited and sexually abused, often simultaneously, in the context of deteriorating humanitarian crises. Israel was responsible for the highest number of violations by a single country against children in 2024, the report stated. Alwasil said: 'As we approach the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1612, which established mechanisms for monitoring violations against children in armed conflict, the international community must focus on two priorities: We must break the cycle of violence and create an environment that rejects extremism and fosters resilience.' The envoy expressed appreciation for Gamba's work, and emphasized the Kingdom's commitment to the application of international legal instruments, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols. He stressed the shared responsibility of all parties for the protection of children and for efforts to address the root causes of armed violence. Turning to the crisis in Gaza in particular, Alwasil sharply rebuked Israeli authorities over their military operations in the territory. 'What is happening in Gaza now is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and humanitarian values,' he said. 'Civilians live under constant bombardment and a suffocating blockade, facing systematic aggression by Israeli armed forces. This has led to the deaths of 55,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.' The war has deprived more than 1 million children in Gaza of basic necessities, including food and medicine, Alwasil said. He called for immediate international action to end the conflict, protect vulnerable populations and hold accountable those responsible for violations. 'The Kingdom affirms that the protection of children in areas of armed conflict is a legal duty that cannot be shirked, and a moral responsibility that cannot be ignored,' he concluded. 'Saudi Arabia supports all UN efforts aimed at protecting civilians, and enhancing international cooperation to respond to the suffering of children affected by war, wherever they may be.'
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Security Council hears of record violations against kids in conflicts, as UN report sparks outcry over Gaza
NEW YORK CITY: The UN Security Council convened on Wednesday to address what officials described as an unprecedented surge in grave violations against children during armed conflicts around the world. It followed the publication of a devastating annual report by the secretary-general's special representative for children and armed conflict, Virginia Gamba. It documented 41,370 grave violations during 2024, a 25 percent increase compared with the previous year, and the highest number since the UN's Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism was established in 2005. Verified abuses of children spanned 25 countries and included killings, maiming, recruitment, abductions, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of access to humanitarian assistance. 'This year marked a devastating new record,' Gamba told council members. 'Behind these numbers are the shattered stories, dreams and futures of over 22,000 children.' She cited a sharp increase in 'compounded violations,' in which children were abducted, recruited and sexually abused, often simultaneously, in the context of deteriorating humanitarian crises. Israel was responsible for the highest number of violations by a single country against children in 2024, the report found. Gamba's office was able to verify more than 2,000 children killed or maimed; more than 500 attacks on schools and 148 on hospitals; and over 5,000 incidents in which humanitarian access was denied, including 2,263 in Gaza alone. Algeria's ambassador to the UN, Amar Bendjama, delivered a pointed rebuke of what he described as 'insufficient public engagement' by the special representative's office, noting that Gamba had made only two public statements on Gaza during 2024, despite the staggering toll of the conflict there on children. 'How can we ignore the 7,188 verified grave violations attributed to Israeli forces?' Bendjama asked. 'This is a man-made crisis … The children of Gaza deserve immediate, effective protection and accountability for those perpetrating these abhorrent violations.' He also underscored the fact that the statistics in the report reflected only verified violations and added: 'For sure, the reality is far worse. 'The (special representative's) statements fall critically short of the decisive and sustained condemnation warranted by the immense scale of the crisis. This limited public engagement starkly contrasts with the rapidly deteriorating reality on the ground, where children's right to life is denied every single moment in Gaza.' He then presented to council members the numbers of incidents reported by international humanitarian organizations, including UNICEF, which is operating on the ground in Gaza and has reported more than 50,000 children killed or injured since the war between Israel and Hamas began in late 2023. As of May this year, 5,000 children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old had been diagnosed with acute malnutrition, he said, nearly double the total number reported the previous month. About half of the 1.9 million people internally displaced within Gaza are children, who are living amid the widespread destruction of water, sanitation and healthcare infrastructure. 'How can we ignore these figures? How can we ignore these children?' Bendjama asked. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said that Guterres fully supports Gamba's work, adding: 'The report is done under a very specific methodology of verification, and we are very clear in the report that this is the tip of the iceberg. '(Gamba's) report is done according to a methodology which is given to her through her mandate by the Security Council, which is extremely specific. And I think the report itself is extremely clear in saying these are only the cases they have been able to verify in what is an ongoing conflict, and also being very clear by the fact that this only represents, very likely, a fraction of the children who've been killed or maimed.' Asked by Arab News about the value of a report when the monitoring system on which it is based is admittedly very flawed, and whether it might be time to update the mechanisms, Dujarric said: 'I will leave it to the wisdom of the Security Council members to decide whether or not to change the mandate they have given the secretary-general in creating that office many years ago. 'I think we've all said that the system could be perfected. At minimum, it ensures that the plight of children who are suffering on the front lines of armed conflict is not forgotten.' Dorothy Shea, the US charge d'affaires to the UN, defended Israel over its military operations in Gaza and placed the blame for the ongoing conflict squarely on Hamas. She emphasized Israel's right to self-defense, and told fellow council members that the country had 'taken numerous measures to limit harm to civilians and address humanitarian needs.' She added: 'The loss of civilian life in Gaza is tragic. But the responsibility for this conflict rests with Hamas, which could stop the fighting today by freeing the hostages and agreeing to the ceasefire terms already accepted by Israel.' Shea cited the attacks by Hamas against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people, including 40 children, and in particular highlighted the deaths of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, Israeli siblings who were 4 years old and 9 months old, respectively. 'Hamas murdered the Bibas children and then paraded their coffins through the streets,' she said. 'This terrorist organization continues to use civilians, including children, as human shields and refuses to accept a ceasefire that would bring calm to Gaza.' Shea also accused Hamas of obstructing deliveries of aid and targeting humanitarian workers. 'On June 11, Hamas murdered eight innocent Palestinians working on behalf of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,' she told the council. The US envoy expressed disappointment that the latest report did not sufficiently highlight what she described as the 'full scale' of abuses by Hamas and added: 'We strongly condemn Hamas' actions.' UNICEF's director of child protection, Sheema Sen Gupta, told council members that 'the world is failing to protect children from the horrors of war.' In 2024, more than 11,900 children were killed or maimed worldwide, she said, with explosive weapons in populated areas cited as the leading cause of deaths and injuries. She described this as a 'systemic failure,' and the use of such weapons as 'a death sentence waiting to be triggered.' Sen Gupta also highlighted a 35 percent increase in sexual violence against children, a form of abuse that remains severely underreported because of stigma and fear. 'These are not just grave violations in technical terms,' she said. 'These are acts of brutality that destroy lives.' Conflict zones such as Somalia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Haiti were highlighted as major hot spots for violations of children's rights. In Congo alone, nearly 10,000 rapes were reported in the first two months of 2025, 40 percent of which involved children. In Haiti, where gangs control vast areas, there has been a dramatic surge in gang rapes and child abductions. Both Gamba and Sen Gupta emphasized the fact that many of the violations stem from the deliberate targeting of civilians, disregard for ceasefire agreements, and the systematic undermining of humanitarian access. The secretary-general's report also underscored the continuing sense of impunity that perpetrators enjoy. However, the officials pointed to some progress. In 2024, for example, more than 16,000 children formerly associated with military forces and other armed groups were released and received reintegration support. Agreements were also reached with armed forces in Syria, Colombia, the Central African Republic and Haiti, with commitments made to end the recruitment of children and protect civilian infrastructure. 'These examples remind us that where there is political will, progress is possible,' said Sen Gupta. The UN officials called for urgent measures to address the problems, including: an end to the use of explosive weapons in populated areas; protection of aid workers and humanitarian access; engagement with nonstate armed groups to implement action plans; funding for reintegration and mental health services to help affected children; and the enforcement of international humanitarian law and accountability for violators. Gamba urged all states to ensure that any political, financial or military support provided to parties involved in conflicts comes with explicit conditions regarding the protection of children. 'Children are not soldiers, they are not collateral damage, they are not bargaining chips,' Sen Gupta said. 'They are children and they deserve justice, safety and a future.'
Arab News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Risk of genocide in Sudan ‘very high': UN
GENEVA: The risk of genocide in Sudan's devastating civil war remains 'very high,' amid ongoing ethnically motivated attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a top UN official warned Monday. Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced 13 million, including 4 million who fled abroad, triggering what the UN has called the world's worst humanitarian crisis. 'Both parties have committed serious human rights violations,' said Virginia Gamba, a UN under-secretary-general and acting special adviser to UN chief Antonio Guterres on the prevention of genocide. 'Of specific concern to my mandate is the continued and targeted attacks against certain ethnic groups, particularly in the Darfur and Kordofan regions,' she told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. She highlighted in particular that the RSF and allied armed militias 'continue to conduct ethnically motivated attacks against the Zaghawa, Masalit and Fur groups.' 'The risk of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Sudan remains very high,' Gamba warned.
