UN stresses use of child in armed conflicts as a grave violation

Tens of thousands of girls and boys are forced to participate in armed conflicts, and the deadly viral infection of the COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the situation, cited by the United Nations (UN) while alerting about the campaign called Children Not Soldiers on Saturday, February 12, 2022.

United Nations took to Twitter and declared that Saturday, February 12, is the day totally devoted to Children across the globe. It said that Saturday is the International Day against the Use of the Child as soldiers.

While emphasising the day, United Nations noted,” Saturday is the Int’l Day against Use of Child Soldiers”.

He further informed about the situation of children and underscored, “Tens of thousands of boys & girls are forced to take part in armed conflicts, and COVID-19 has also deepened the problem”.

United Nations (UN) asserted that violence against children is a grave violation of their human rights, and it is more infractions to use children in armed conflicts.

While asserting the innocence of the children, the director-general of the United Nations António Guterres underlined,” Children should have no role in the conflict. We all have to make efforts so that we can protect children from the chaos and madness of wars. The innocent children have nothing to do with them as this is something which is staking their future and their life”.

UNICEF is the organisation that is working for the welfare of the children and underscored that 15-year-old Aliou, who have worked for at least three years in the armed group in Mali, have been released and reunited with his parents with the support of UNICEF and partners.

While signifying the protection f the children, UNICEF cited,” To protect children and young people affected by conflict, social services must be scaled up across Central Sahel”.

Meanwhile, United Nations have also asserted that UN Peacekeeping organisations are constantly working to protect girls and boys from unprecedented violence and to break the cycle of violence across the globe.

Further, the United Kingdom also asserted,” This Red Hand Day, the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, 🇬🇧 reaffirms its commitment to preventing the recruitment and use of child soldiers in conflict zones”, and stressed, ” Children are meant to be Children Not Soldiers”.

The Armed conflicts have a huge impact on Children as the people who are primary victims of wars, and many girls and boys have killed and maiming, recruitment and used the children as child soldiers. It also included sexual violence, abduction and the denial of access to humanitarian aid. In schools and hospitals, they have been the victims of the violence, and in the many conflicts-ridden countries, peacekeeping missions have been launched at a large pace, and their contribution is vital to protect the children.