YouSaid · the spoken record

Veneman

lines on the record: 45
first: 2006-07-24
most recent: 2009-04-29
sittings or episodes: 5
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Adherence to international humanitarian law and respect for children's rights must be strengthened, and those who commit violations against children must be held accountable.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“I note in particular the recommendation to expand the triggers to be listed in the annexes of the report to parties who commit rape and other forms of sexual violence against children and, if possible, other grave violations, such as intentional killing and maiming. Such a development would be an important step forward, particularly to address sexual violence. It would also send a strong signal from the international community that perpetrators of grave violations, such as rape and sexual violence, must be held accountable for their crimes against children. Although challenges lie ahead, progress has been made. UNICEF remains committed to working with and for children in armed conflict, including through continued efforts to monitor, report and respond to grave violations.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“Next year will mark the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and this year marks the tenth anniversary of the first Security Council resolution on children and armed conflict, namely, resolution 1261 (1999). Those milestones have contributed to a stronger protection framework for children in armed conflict, and we must build on that momentum to do even more. UNICEF welcomes the eighth report of the Secretary- General on children and armed conflict (S/2009/158), and we support its recommendations.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“Monitoring and reporting are also important tools in triggering effective responses and prevention activities. UNICEF's responses to children who are victims of grave violations include support for national child protection systems and survivors of sexual violence, along with rights training for armed forces personnel and the reintegration of children used by armed forces. This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Geneva Conventions and the twentieth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Just last December, UNICEF welcomed the adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Around 40 per cent of all civilians killed or injured by cluster munitions are children.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“Children remain the victims of the wars of adults, but there are also some glimmers of hope. Just a few weeks ago, 342 children in Burundi were released after a year of joint advocacy by child protection partners. Since January 2009, around 1,200 children in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been released by armed groups and forces. Dialogue on children's issues with parties to conflict is an important element and has resulted in concrete commitments and action plans to prevent and end grave violations against children. The monitoring and reporting mechanism has become a key component of UNICEF's overall child protection strategy of enhancing the protective environment for children in situations of armed conflict.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“The Secretary-General's reports produced by the monitoring and reporting mechanism established by the Security Council bear witness to that. Each of the incidents reported represents a personal tragedy. I have met boys and girls who have been brutally raped by soldiers and scarred for life - some having contracted HIV - and children who were recruited by armed groups and used as soldiers or sex slaves. In places such as Afghanistan, schools have been attacked and teachers, and particularly girl students, have been targeted by horrendous acts. When I visited Gaza earlier this year, I saw schools damaged or destroyed and children suffering from the trauma of violence and the loss of loved ones. Sadly, as the report illustrates, disrespect for the sanctity of schools continues to be the situation in far too many countries.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“This collective engagement at the highest possible level is making a real difference in the lives of children by serving as a strong platform for advocacy and responses for boys and girls in conflict situations. Millions of children around the world continue to be impacted by armed conflict. In fact, for many, conflict is all they know. Too often, children see their childhoods drift into turmoil, their family and friends killed and their lives, health and well-being put at risk. Sadly, that is the situation today for many children in Sri Lanka. It comes as no surprise that under-five mortality rates are among the highest in conflict-affected countries. Children are not only the unintended victims of war; in some cases, they are directly targeted.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“Ms. Veneman: I thank members for the opportunity to join them today as the Security Council discusses the situation of children affected by armed conflict. UNICEF appreciates the engagement and dedication of the Council to the matter of children affected by armed conflict and thanks the Secretary- General for his continuous and personal interest and commitment to this issue. Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, has been unrelenting and very effective in her work on behalf of children affected by armed conflict. I should also like to express special appreciation for the leadership of the Government of Mexico on this issue.”
2009-04-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6114 (2009) · source
“He continues to speak on behalf of young people whose childhoods have been scarred by abuse, violence and deprivation. Let us never forget the stories of Ishmael, Mariatu and thousands more like them as we move forward with a shared sense of urgency in helping to build a better world for children.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“UNICEF, through its mandate, its country presence before, during and after crises, and its capacity to advocate for children can contribute to the prevention of conflict as well as to immediate and long-term solutions once conflict has erupted. The challenge is immense but not insurmountable. Children continue to bear the brunt of conflict, but they also demonstrate resilience and the capacity to overcome the violence around them and to help build peace within themselves and within their communities. Ishmael Beah, with whose painful story many of us are familiar, is a case in point. His powerful and best-selling book chronicles his experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone and his difficult transition back to a normal life with the help of UNICEF. Last November, I appointed Ishmael as a UNICEF Advocate for Children Affected by War.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“She had never been to school, but today she is attending university in Canada. The best way to protect children is to prevent the outbreak of armed conflict and violence in the first place. Development and post-conflict reconstruction, if done well, can address the root causes of violence and thus protect children from exposure to armed conflict. As Graca Machel urged in 2001, we "must shatter the political inertia that allows circumstances to escalate into armed conflict and destroy children's lives" (A/51/306, para. 253). UNICEF hopes that today's discussions will help strengthen the collective commitment to protect children from conflict and violence across the political, humanitarian and development agendas of the United Nations.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“Yet, more must be done to better monitor, prevent and respond to violations against children and to ensure respect for the rule of law. Girls and women in conflict situations are extremely vulnerable because of the sexual violence perpetrated by armed forces and groups. Sexual violence is too often used as a weapon of war. The Security Council's recent resolution 1820 (2008) is a welcome expression of its determination to take measures to address sexual violence against children, particularly girls. Earlier this year, I visited Sierra Leone. While there, I met a young woman named Mariatu, who was a victim of the many years of conflict in that country. At the age of 12, she was captured and raped, and both of her arms were cut off by the perpetrators. Her story is still unfolding.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“UNICEF greatly appreciates the commitment and the efforts of the Security Council and its Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. The purpose of the monitoring and reporting mechanism is to monitor, report and respond to the situation of child victims of conflict in order to reduce the occurrence of grave violations against children, enhance accountability of perpetrators and prevent further grave violations in situations of armed conflict. As we approach the third anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1612 (2005) and the setting up of the monitoring and reporting mechanism, there are promising signs of progress. In Cote d'Ivoire and Sri Lanka, for example, recruitment and use of children in conflict has diminished significantly.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“They may have no choice or they might view enlistment as their best survival option, or as a way of escaping other violence and discrimination. Reintegrating children into communities needs to be done with an eye to future stability, not only of the child, but of society as a whole. Some important lessons have been learned. One is that reintegration programmes must avoid further stigmatizing the child. Successful reintegration also requires predictable and sustained funding that can be disbursed in a timely manner and that will continue to be available despite periods of instability. As has been shown in northern Uganda and Sri Lanka, children's lives can be improved by protection measures and reintegration activities, even while political solutions are being sought.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“We know from experience that it is possible to reintegrate these children, especially when they are provided with assistance and the skills needed to become positive and productive members of society. Yet reintegration is a difficult and long-term process requiring a long-term commitment. UNICEF works with States and non-State actors to stop the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. The 2007 Paris Commitments reinforce international consensus on the unlawful recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. These commitments also reiterate measures States can take to protect children caught in conflict and the steps they can take to help reintegrate them with their families and their communities. Children become associated with armed conflict groups for many reasons.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“When entire communities are in a state of upheaval, schools can provide a safe haven and a sense of normality. It is therefore crucial that their sanctity be protected and that access to Vital services, such as health care, clean water and basic sanitation are not disrupted. UNICEF welcomes the endorsement by 92 States of the 2006 Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development and encourages other States to join this process. The Declaration will contribute to the protection of children through the promotion of actions to reduce armed violence, improve human security and build a culture of peace. UNICEF has a long history of advocating and assisting in the release and reintegration of children used by armed forces and groups.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“Children have to cope with violence and the loss of family, homes and community, and many have been killed or maimed, even long after conflict has come to an end. Children also suffer from the indirect impact of war through a resurgence in preventable diseases, such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, measles and malaria. Conflict and post-conflict countries have some of the highest rates of under-five mortality. Of the 33 countries affected by armed conflict during 2002 to 2006, 20 have experienced insufficient or no progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on child mortality. Conflict and strife often break down public health services and the rule of law and contribute to food insecurity, population displacement and continued insecurity. Rehabilitation of key services and infrastructure requires security and political stability.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“I appreciate the opportunity to join the Security Council today to discuss the situation of children affected by armed conflict. UNICEF welcomes the President's initiative to hold this open debate to consider, in particular, how the Security Council, the United Nations and the international community as a whole can better contribute to long-term and sustainable solutions regarding the issue of children and armed conflict. I commend my colleague, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, for her tireless efforts in helping to draw global attention to the impact on children in situations of armed conflict. Children continue to suffer from the horrors of war.”
2008-07-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5936 (2008) · source
“Let us keep those words in mind as we move forward with a shared sense of urgency in helping to build a better and safer world for our children.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Children continue to bear the brunt of conflict, but they also demonstrate resilience and capacity to overcome the violence around them. Their energy and strong desire to end conflict can be a catalyst for peacebuilding within their own communities. We have heard some of those young voices in a compilation of stories and recommendations from conflict zones, titled "Will you listen?". The compilation was launched last year on 17 October as a supplement to the 10-year Graca Machel strategic review, which was submitted to the General Assembly. Many of those children and youth spoke of the important role they play in providing change and of the need to act swiftly. As a young woman from Colombia said, "We are the future and people should be aware of that. Right now, we are inheriting a very unstable world".”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“In a relatively short period of time, the monitoring and reporting mechanism has produced positive results for children on the ground by focusing on grave violations in six categories, as stated earlier by my colleague. More must be done to better monitor, prevent and respond to these violations. It is critical that the best interests of the child be the guiding principle of the monitoring and reporting mechanism, rising above all other considerations. The purpose of the mechanism is to monitor, report and respond to the situation of child victims of conflict in order to reduce the occurrence of grave violations against children, enhance the accountability of perpetrators and prevent further grave violations in situations of armed conflict.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Coomaraswamy, girls and women in conflict situations are extremely vulnerable because of sexual violence perpetrated by armed forces and groups and, at times, even by the very people entrusted with providing their protection. Sexual violence is so often used as a weapon of war; there must be greater focus and attention on this issue. Allow me to share one story, as told by a 14-year-old girl in Liberia. She said: "The attackers tied me up and raped me because I was fighting. About five of them did the same thing to me until one of their commanders who knew my father came and stopped them, but also took me to make me his wife. I accepted him because of fear". We need to put an end to the abuse, the rapes and the sexual violence. UNICEF welcomes the efforts of the Security Council's Working Group on Children and Armed 08-2361] Conflict.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Throughout the past several years, UNICEF country offices have worked with States and non-State actors that have recruited and used children, in order to bring an end to this abhorrent practice. The report of the Secretary-General references UNICEF's engagement in the Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire and the Sudan. The 2007 Paris commitments help to reinforce international consensus on the unlawful recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. These commitments also reiterate measures that States can take to protect children involved in hostilities and help reintegrate them into their families and communities. States should be urged to endorse the Paris commitments. As mentioned by my colleague Ms.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“The misuse or occupation of schools, or attacks against them, are some of the worst violations against children in situations of armed conflict. They are also a violation of one of the most basic principles of the laws of war: that civilian sites must be protected. UNICEF has a long history of advocating, and assisting in, the release and reintegration of children used by armed forces and groups. We know from experience that it is possible to reintegrate these children, especially when they are provided with assistance and the skills they need to become positive and productive members of society. Yet reintegration is a difficult and long-term process requiring patience and long-term commitment.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Recent data show that conflict and post-conflict countries have some of the highest rates of under-5 mortality. Conflict and strife often break down public health services and contribute to food insecurity, population displacement and continued insecurity. Rehabilitation of key services and infrastructure requires security and political stability. An essential part of re-establishing normalcy for children affected by conflict is to ensure that they have access to schools. When entire communities are in a state of upheaval, schools can provide a safe haven and a sense of normalcy. It is therefore vital that their sanctity be protected. In Afghanistan, as noted in the report, schools have been deliberately targeted in the ongoing hostilities.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“The report of the Secretary-General (S/2007/757) helps highlight the harsh reality of what children undergo in countries affected by armed conflict. Children continue to suffer from the horrors of war. Children often cope with trauma, violence and the loss of family, homes and community, and many have been killed or maimed even long after conflict has come to an end. As highlighted in the Secretary-General's report, children are all too often victims of indiscriminate weapons, such as cluster munitions. Children must be protected from the effects of these and other indiscriminate weapons. Children also suffer from the indirect impact of war through resurgence in preventable diseases such as malaria, measles, diarrhoea and respiratory infections.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Ms. Veneman: I am very pleased to join the Council today as it turns its attention once again to the situation of children affected by armed conflict. UNICEF welcomes the Security Council's ongoing concern with grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict. I commend my colleague, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, for her work in helping to draw global attention to the impact on children in situations of armed conflict. It is fitting that we gather today on the sixth anniversary of the entry into force of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. States which have not done so should be urged to sign, ratify and fully implement the Optional Protocol.”
2008-02-12 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5834 (2008) · source
“Children and young people and the contributions they make are therefore a major part of the solution to armed conflict. Yet experience in countries where demobilization exercises and justice-sector reforms have neglected to include children has shown that a lack of attention to the specific needs of children has a negative effect for young people themselves, and can also undermine the peacebuilding effort. Finally, UNICEF wishes to lend its support to the recommendations contained the report. We have made significant progress over the past year. Today, we must renew our commitment to the children who are impacted by this unacceptable practice.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“The impact of war and violence on children may also have long-term consequences for the formation of children's values, identity and political beliefs and of their ability to function as leaders and decision-makers in the future. Thus, the pursuit of peace is integral to the fulfilment of children's rights, including their rights to physical safety, health and well-being. And children, young people and women must be part of the solution. Young people have distinct experiences in armed conflict, distinct needs and distinct capacities for recovering and contributing to peacebuilding. They mentor and tutor other children and provide friendship and companionship for one another. They often generate a livelihood for themselves and their families and take on leadership roles.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“By the end of this year, Playing for Peace will be active in 60 municipalities. Together with other similar projects, these initiatives are benefiting almost 19,000 children and youths in the country. When children are uprooted and traumatized by armed conflict, education can play a key role in bringing stability and security back to their lives. Education has a broader impact to help re-establish a normal routine within communities threatened by violence and war. Education provides a means to reach war-affected children with information on health and safety, landmine awareness, HIV/AIDS prevention, gender sensitivity, human rights and life skills. Education contributes to building an environment supportive of future peacebuilding efforts. In this light, education must be restored as soon as possible during and after conflict.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“We also support disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes, with a special emphasis on the needs of girls and working with many others to ensure that the essential focus on reintegration helps to ensure that children can return to their communities where feasible. For example, last year in Cote d'Ivoire, the United Nations Operation in C6te d'Ivoire (UNOCI) and UNICEF developed a comprehensive action plan with the leadership of the Forces nouvelles in an effort to end the association of children with fighting forces in the conflict. In Colombia, we have supported local partners in a effort called Playing for Peace, which promotes sports, education for peace and systems of social coexistence among vulnerable adolescents, while contributing to the prevention of voluntary recruitment of youths into illegal armed groups.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“Activities for 2007 will focus on finalizing a global database and information management system, supporting capacity- building for key partners through training on information gathering, developing appropriate programme responses and defining global and country- level advocacy strategies. We appreciate the initial start-up of funds received for the development of the monitoring and reporting mechanism from the Governments of the United Kingdom, Norway and Canada. Additional funding will be required for country-level activities, particularly to support systematic programmes to address rights violations committed against children. Working closely with many partners, UNICEF continues to negotiate for humanitarian access and to engage in dialogue with parties to end the recruitment and use of children associated with fighting forces.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“Over the course of the past year, the Security Council and its Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict have demonstrated concerted attention to the concerns of children affected by armed conflict. I would like to thank His Excellency the Permanent Representative of France for his stewardship and for the action taken by the Working Group to address the issue of impunity for rights violations. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) will continue to support the further strengthening of the monitoring and reporting systems, as called for in Security Council resolution 1612 (2005).”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“Children are at particular risk, and the Government must ensure the safety of refugees and local populations. Earlier this year, I visited the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo together with the High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Jim Morris. We listened to shocking first- hand accounts of routine rape and sexual exploitation used as weapons against young girls and women in the conflict that continues to rage in the region. This year's report also provides information on two specific areas critical to enhanced protection of children from conflict: the implementation of the monitoring and reporting mechanism and the implementation of action plans to halt the recruitment and use of children as soldiers.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“In the occupied Palestinian territories, an estimated 119 Palestinian children have been killed this year, more than twice the total number of child deaths registered in 2005. Children and adolescents represent more than half the population in the territories, and they are living through a terrifying siege that will likely have an enduring impact. They have seen family members killed and their communities destroyed. It is time to scale up protection and support to children in this fractured region. In Chad, the ongoing fighting between Government forces and the armed opposition, and the presence of Sudanese rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) has led to tremendous insecurity in the refugee camps and continuous attacks on surrounding villages.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“These violations against children continue to be committed in defiance of agreed international norms and standards. However, by naming the parties that continue to recruit or use child soldiers, the Security Council has demonstrated its determination to match words with deeds. Those who violate the international standards for the protection of children can no longer do so with impunity. The lists annexed to the report represent an important step forward in our efforts to induce compliance by parties to conflict with international child protection standards. The report notes that, despite the progress made with respect to the protection of children in several situations of armed conflict, new areas of concern require our attention. We remain deeply concerned by the ongoing conflicts in several countries highlighted in this year's report.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“Today, like any other day, hundreds of thousands of children wake and begin their day as child soldiers fighting in adult wars. Or they may be sexually exploited or trafficked. The reasons for these conflicts are complex, but the result is simple: children bear the brunt of these conflicts. It is estimated that 43 million children are out of school, that 4 to 5 million children have been physically disabled over the past two years, and that 80 per cent of refugees fleeing war are women and children. Again this year, the report of the Secretary- General on children and armed conflict (8/2005/826) indicates that children continue to be deliberately targeted in conflicts. The report provides detailed information on six grave violations of children's rights perpetrated by over 40 parties in more than 20 conflict- affected countries.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“Ms. Veneman: I very much appreciate the opportunity to address the Security Council. I congratulate the membership and you, Sir, on keeping our collective attention focused on the important issue of children and armed conflict. I would particularly like to express sincere gratitude to the Secretary-General for his steadfast commitment and dedication to children affected by armed conflict. Under his leadership, the United Nations has made significant progress in highlighting the plight of the most vulnerable and in ensuring that the United Nations system responds to their needs. I would also like to acknowledge the strong advocacy on this issue of my colleague, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.”
2006-11-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5573 (2006) · source
“The safety and security of those who implement the mechanisms must be ensured. Under no circumstances should United Nations staff or those of our partners be targeted while they carry out their crucial roles. Resolution 1612 (2005) provides opportunities to bring together key elements to monitor compliance and accountability. Governments have a fundamental responsibility to protect their populations. The international community, and especially the Security Council, must collectively and regularly remind all parties to a conflict that egregious Violations against children cannot be tolerated.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“The Council is well aware of the effects of small arms and light weapons on children in armed conflict. UNICEF will work with Member States to achieve the objectives set out in the United Nations Programme of Action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. Here again, studies and surveillance that can lead to programmes to prevent Violence and rehabilitate child Victims are needed. The Security Council's support in encouraging respect for arms embargoes, including the criminalization and punishment of violators, is absolutely critical. UNICEF has deep appreciation for the Council's commitment to deal with children in armed conflict. We encourage enhancing the monitoring and reporting mechanisms in countries where children are affected by armed conflict.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“More than 40 per cent of reported sexual assaults are perpetrated against girls aged 15 or younger. In conflict situations, Violence against women and girls is often used as a strategic method of warfare and is often associated with an increase in the risk and spread of HIV and AIDS. Data on gender-based Violence is lacking in many countries due to an absence of reporting mechanisms and support services, along with factors such as shame and stigma. Resolution 1612 (2005) provides an opportunity to strengthen not only the reporting of gender-based Violence but also programmes to provide Victims with access to health, psychological and legal support. Sexual violence against children cannot be tolerated, and we must do all that we can to prevent it and to deal with its impacts. Fourth, small arms and light weapons.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Girls and boys are sometimes involved directly in combat but are also exploited as messengers, informers, cooks, porters or sexual slaves. Recruitment can be forced, but it also results from factors such as poverty. That is why prevention, demobilization and reintegration need to be comprehensive by also providing children with education, training, support and protection. A document that outlines guiding principles for preventing the use of children in conflict and facilitating their demobilization and reintegration is being developed. A symposium to present this document will be hosted by the French Government in Paris at the end of the year. Third, gender-based violence, which is another devastating effect of conflict on children. Sexual Violence represents a significant threat to children, particularly girls.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“First, monitoring and reporting. In collaboration with the inter-agency task forces in each of the seven pilot countries, UNICEF and its partners have begun to implement the monitoring and reporting mechanism. Common terminology and a minimum set of indicators for violations against children have been developed. Technical support and guidance have been provided in Nepal, Burundi, Somalia and Cote d'Ivoire. Together with non-governmental organization partners, UNICEF will continue to help ensure that monitoring and reporting will lead to programmes that prevent and address the consequences of these violations. For example, reliable data on the prevalence of sexual Violence can help in decisions to establish clinics and other support services. Second, child recruitment.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“In every region of the world, girls and boys continue to endure the consequences of being caught up in wars. The current situation in the Middle East is no exception. Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) and the Working Group dedicated to children and armed conflict herald a new era of cooperation to end some of the most egregious abuses of children during conflict. Effective monitoring and reporting will help reveal the extent and severity of the Violations, bring greater accountability to those who target, abuse or exploit children, and strengthen programmes to assist and protect children. In addition to an effective monitoring and reporting mechanism, there are three areas that are relevant to resolution 1612 (2005), including the use of children by armed forces and groups, gender-based violence and small arms and light weapons.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source
“Ms. Veneman: Mr. President, I am pleased to join you today as the Security Council turns its attention to the situation of children in armed conflict. We appreciate the role of the French Government over the past six years in ensuring that the Security Council's peace and security agenda benefits and protects children affected by armed conflict. As all here are aware, children continue to be targeted in today's armed conflicts. Since 1996 approximately two million children have died as a result of war, while a further twelve million have been left homeless and an estimated six million injured or physically disabled. Children are the first to suffer the poverty, the malnutrition and the ill health resulting from the disruptions caused by war.”
2006-07-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5494 (2006) · source