Protecting Children in War Vital to Lasting Peace, UN Says

A special representative of the secretary-general, Vanessa Frazier, has decried the alarming rise in grave violations against children in conflicts.

Ms Frazier said on the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, commemorated on February 12, that the recruitment and use of children is still one of the most widespread and devastating violations.

“The violations are most prevalent in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria and Myanmar,” she said.

The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict says it monitors approximately 26 conflict situations worldwide, with a grim story to tell.

The office regretted that children are being used as fighters but also in support roles like cooks, porters or spies, while some are used as sexual slaves and others as human shields.

“In Nigeria, at least 1,900 children have been recruited or used, making it the most prevalent violation.

“Boko Haram continued to recruit and use children, including as human bombs,” the office said, adding that the verified figure covered “the months of 2018” but that “actual figures are likely to be higher”.

Ms Frazier said in 2024 alone, over 7,400 children were recruited or used by armed forces and armed groups, and those were only the verified cases.

“Over the last 30 years, we have separated over 220,000 children from armed gangs. Each number in our report represents a child whose innocence has been interrupted,” she said.

Ms Frazier, who has met survivors of Boko Haram’s abductions in Nigeria, recounted some of her experience.

“You hear about a 13-year-old girl holding her baby, and you realise how deeply conflict steals childhood. When you hear these stories, you realise those numbers in our reports are individuals,” stated Ms Frazier. “They comprised children who were supposed to have their whole future ahead of them. Children are the epitome of innocence.”

She added, “They have not taken sides in any war, yet their innocence and childhood have both been interrupted. Children should never be treated as collateral of war.”

Ms Frazier regretted that the reintegration of children in armed conflicts with their communities is often fraught with stigma.

“Girls who return may be shunned by their communities, especially those who come back with children,” she said. “For societal reasons, some girls cannot be fully reintegrated and are considered damaged goods.”

She explained that accountability plays a key role, noting prosecutions before national courts and the International Criminal Court as vital deterrents.

“One of the greatest tools of deterrence is justice and accountability,” she said. “When warlords or armed group leaders are prosecuted and sentenced for recruiting children, including in national courts and at least three cases before the ICC, it sends a powerful message. Justice and accountability act as strong deterrents, showing armed groups that this crime carries real consequences.”

(NAN)