YouSaid · the spoken record

Zerrougui

lines on the record: 245
first: 2012-09-19
most recent: 2020-12-07
sittings or episodes: 19
sources: un-security-council

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“Nancee Oku Bright, a senior representative of the Office of Special Representative of the Secretary- General Bangura, to assess the impact of the conflict on women and children as well as the risk of genocide. The goal of our mission, in line with the "Rights up front" framework, was to advocate for action and responses from the transitional authorities and obtain their commitment to stopping the violence. Our visit took place soon after the 5 December attacks on the capital, Bangui, and against the backdrop of increasing sectarian violence, which is continuing today. Despite its chronic instability, the Central African Republic had not previously suffered from such a violent outbreak of religiously motivated violence.”
2014-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7098 (2014) · source
“Ms. Zerrougui: I wish to thank you, Sir, for inviting me to brief the Security Council on our visit to the Central African Republic from 17 to 21 December 2013, and in particular on the situation of children and armed conflict. At the outset, allow me to also express my appreciation to the Permanent Representative of Luxembourg, Ambassador Sylvie Lucas, and General Babacar Gaye, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA), for their leadership and support for the children and armed conflict mandate. In the light ofgrowing protection concerns resulting from mounting attacks against civilians and the deep human rights crisis ravaging the country, I travelled with my colleagues, Special Adviser Adama Dieng and Ms.”
2014-01-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7098 (2014) · source
“Perpetrators must also receive the strongest possible signal from the Council that their crimes will not go unpunished and that impunity will end. I call on the Council to continue to unite in that endeavour.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“However, we must not be complacent. The time has come to reflect on what works. Dialogue with non-State parties, engagement with concerned Governments, a focus on capacity- building, and the Security Council's strong commitment have yielded significant results for children. I would like to conclude with an appeal. The child-protection agenda has made progress because eight years ago the Council took a firm stand with resolution 1612 (2005) and expressed its willingness to take all the necessary measures to ensure that children will be protected, in all contexts, from the consequences of war. Children in armed conflict need to know that the Council is listening and that all victims will receive the necessary protection.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“In the light of the immense protection concerns affecting children in conflict, the deployment of child-protection advisers must not only continue but also grow. In that regard, I call on Council members to ensure that provisions for the timely and adequate deployment of child-protection advisers be included in all the relevant United Nations peacekeeping, peacebuilding and political missions. The role of UNICEF cannot be overemphasized. Its efforts continue to make this agenda a reality in the field. Its work in ensuring that children formerly associated with armed forces and groups are reintegrated and rehabilitated is also critical. I will continue to advocate for ensuring that UNICEF and other partners have the support necessary to carry out those tasks. I began my statement today by stressing that notable progress had been achieved.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“UNICEF and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have already agreed to join the campaign. In the coming weeks, I will reach out to other United Nations partners. I count on Council members to support those efforts as well. Before concluding, I would also like to stress that my Office has continued to receive enormous support from its partners since the creation of the mandate. I would like to commend the invaluable contribution of our trusted operational partners, including those here today. From the very beginning, the Council requested that child-protection expertise be included in peacekeeping missions in order to mainstream the issue of children and armed conflict. Since then, more than 100 child protection advisers have been deployed to carry out that agenda in peacekeeping contexts.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“Six have already signed an action plan, and the remaining two are in the final stages of negotiation. One of the key objectives of that mandate - the end of the recruitment and use of children by armed forces - is finally within reach. In that regard, with the support ofthe Secretary-General, my Office will be launching a campaign aimed at ending the association of children with State armed forces in armed conflict by 2016. The campaign's objective will be to galvanize the efforts of concerned Governments, interested Member States and the United Nations system to turn the page on the recruitment and use of children by Government armed forces in armed conflict in the next three years. That is an unprecedented and ambitious initiative that therefore needs our full attention.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“I would also like to inform the Council that the Government of Chad has redoubled its efforts towards full compliance with the action plan signed in 2011. It is worth noting that all of those action plans were signed with Governments to put an end to violations committed by their armed forces. That allows the United Nations to support those Governments not only in identifying, releasing and reintegrating children present in their ranks, but also in building their capacities, enacting more adequate legislation and preventing further violations. Thanks to the Council's efforts, we have reached a seminal moment in the history of that mandate. I am happy to announce today that all armed forces listed in the annexes for recruitment and use of children have entered into an action plan process.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“In 2004, the Council unanimously requested all parties listed in the annexes to the report of the Secretary-General to enter into dialogue with the United Nations to prepare and implement action plans as a unique tool to put an end to violations against children. In 2012 alone, four action plans to end the recruitment and use of children were signed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Somalia and South Sudan. In addition, in line with resolution 1882 (2009), an action plan on the killing and maiming of children was also signed with the Government of Somalia, and provisions on sexual violence against children were included in the action plan signed with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“Additionally, there has been progress with regard to the engagement of regional organizations on the issue of children and armed conflict during the reporting period. NATO has adopted child-protection guidelines, including training materials prepared with the United Nations for constituent troops and partners. Cooperation with the African Union is ongoing; my Office recently obtained a preliminary agreement to secure child-protection expertise within the Peace and Security Department. I also look forward to further strengthening our cooperation in mainstreaming child protection within the African Union and its regional peacekeeping activities, such as in Somalia or in the context of actions against the Lord's Resistance Army.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“Another indicator is the development of legislation that criminalizes violations against children, as well as regulations and guidelines. In that regard, I welcome the efforts of the Governments of Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Philippines, which have made notable progress during the reporting period. In the same vein, I would like to commend those Governments that have ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict since the most recent report of the Secretary-General, in April 2012 (S/2012/261). Those are most welcome steps towards universal ratification, as intended by the Zero Under 18 Campaign.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“The report also highlights the progress that has been made in the past 18 months with regard to the protection of children in conflict. Though we have made progress with a number of non-State armed groups, this year has brought remarkable success with the Governments concerned. I very much doubt that this would have been possible without the support of the Council. Those Governments have accepted the framework that has been put in place by the resolutions of the Council and have engaged with the United Nations on measures to enhance child protection in conflict. One indicator is the growing number of inter-ministerial committees established by the Governments concerned to work with the United Nations on children affected by conflicts.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“It is my intention to visit Syria and the region in the coming days to assess first-hand the consequences of the conflict on children. I will also reiterate my call on all parties to the conflict to take all possible measures to ensure that children are protected in the course of military operations, and to abide by international law. I look forward to briefing Council members on my findings upon my return. As I mentioned earlier, new areas of concern for children have emerged and need to be addressed as a priority, including the military use of schools, the detention of children for alleged association with armed groups, and the impact of drones on children. I encourage Council members and all Governments concerned to carefully consider the recommendations put forward by the Secretary-General in that regard.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“I also call upon all relevant stakeholders to ensure that child protection remains central to ongoing discussions around the implementation of the Libreville Agreement in the Central African Republic. It has been two years since the beginning of the conflict in Syria, yet we are no closer to saving the lives of children. As the conflict rages on, it affects me deeply that grave violations against children continue to be committed on such a massive scale. Since my last briefing to the Council on children in Syria (see S/PV.6838), scores of them have been killed, injured, maimed, detained, tortured, recruited and forced to witness or to commit atrocities. If not for those children, then for whom will the Council act?”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“In a country where children have been deprived of a normal life for so many years, it is particularly alarming to see that two thirds of the children separated from armed groups in 2012 were re-recruited by the Seleka coalition at the beginning of 2013. Many children were killed and injured during the clashes in Bangui in April 2013. Children continue to be affected by the ongoing insecurity and the lack of humanitarian access. More than 2 million children in the Central African Republic lack basic services, and hundreds of thousands lack access to education. Those children have suffered from repeated violations for too long, and it is now time to consider what further action, including targeted measures, should be taken against perpetrators to enhance protection and justice for children.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“I call upon the Malian authorities to treat such children in line with international norms and standards. In addition, accountability for all other violations committed in Mali, such as attacks on schools and hospitals, the killing and maiming of children and sexual violence, needs to be sought as a matter of priority. The international community has an important role to play to assist the Malian authorities in that crucial endeavour. I also wish to call upon all stakeholders to ensure that in the context of the ongoing peace talks in Ouagadougou, the needs and best interests of children are adequately taken into account. The conflict in the Central African Republic has also had a disproportionate impact on children.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“In Mali, which has been included in the report for the first time, children were recruited by all armed groups active in the north. We also received information that boys and girls were associated with pro-Government militias in performing various tasks, including participation in combat. As the country is transitioning towards stabilization, it is crucial to ensure that no children are integrated into the regular armed forces or forgotten in the reintegration process, and that measures to prevent the recruitment of children be put in place. On the other hand, we continue to receive worrisome information on children being detained by the Malian security forces for alleged association with armed groups, as well as children hiding in their communities in fear of being arrested for association with armed groups.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“The evolving nature and tactics of armed conflict have created unprecedented threats for children. The absence of clear front lines and identifiable opponents, and the increasing use of terror tactics have made children more vulnerable. I would also like to highlight the fact that, as in previous years, non-State armed groups constitute the vast majority of listed parties. They account for 46 of the 55 perpetrators listed in the annexes. In addition, I would like to highlight that half of the parties listed are so-called persistent perpetrators, meaning that they have been on the list for five years or more. I welcome the efforts of the Working Group to devise innovative ways to address this issue, and I look forward to the outcome of these discussions.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“Ms. Zerrougui: I would like to begin by thanking the United Kingdom presidency of the Council and the Luxembourg chairmanship of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict for holding this important debate on children and armed conflict. Council members have before them the twelfth annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (S/2013/245). The report reflects developments from January to December 2012 and relevant updates. Although the reporting period saw marked progress, especially in relation to dialogue with parties to conflict and action plans, disturbing new trends and concerns for children have also arisen. As new conflicts emerged or deepened in the course of the past 18 months, children continued to pay a heavy toll - perhaps the heaviest.”
2013-06-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6980 (2013) · source
“The opposition forces should fulfil their commitments to respect applicable international humanitarian law and, in particular, engage with the United Nations on their commitment to address the issue of children among their ranks. The urgent action of the Council on behalf of those children cannot wait another day, as each day is at the cost of countless lives.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“I have held discussions with both the Government and the opposition forces and have received commitments from both sides, but the space to act on those commitments is shrinking. In particular, I would like to ask the Council to remind all parties of their responsibilities to prevent violations against children during conflict and to issue public commitments. The Government should commit to take all the necessary precautions during combat to prevent child death and injury, avoid the use of heavy weaponry in civilian areas and cease immediately its use of human shields and investigate all allegations in that regard. In addition, it must ensure the safety of all health and education facilities in areas it controls.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Additionally, the impact of high levels of violence on all children in Syria is serious and will have a long-term effect for the future of the country. When I last visited, all ofthe children and families with whom I spoke recounted horrific stories of death and destruction - a cycle of violence with no end. I am here not only to brief the Council on the terrible impact that the conflict is having on the children of Syria, but to implore it to do more to make all parties take up their responsibilities to protect the children of Syria. My colleagues have explained in detail the ever-smaller space afforded to the United Nations and its partners to provide life-saving assistance. But we continue to strive to do what is necessary and what we can in those dire circumstances.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“My Office has been gathering information about the use of children as young as 10 years of age in various ways, such as porters, messengers and combatants, by opposition groups. My Office also received information regarding the use of children as human shields by Government forces. I call on all parties to take immediate measures to halt any association of children. The disproportionate use of force and the fact that combat is largely taking place in civilian areas, without any precautionary measures and with the use of indiscriminate weapons, are having serious effects on the child victims of bombardment and other violence, but also on the wider societal fabric that protects children, their families and caregivers. I personally witnessed the extreme levels of destruction in civilian areas in Horns and Rif Damascus during my recent visit.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Palestinian and other refugee children have been killed or forced to flee their homes and to live in need in IDP shelters. Only 35 per cent of Palestinian children have access to schools today, and many have fled to neighbouring countries out of fear for their safety. When I visited Damascus in December of last year, I met many Palestinian IDP children in Yarmouk Camp who were living in dire circumstances. Today, the security situation in Yarmouk is precarious, and I cannot help but think about those children and the fear and anxiety they and their families must live with each day. In the current conflict, with no end in sight, children are becoming increasingly vulnerable to recruitment and use, both direct and indirect, by all parties to the conflict.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Since the beginning of the conflict, the education system has been deeply impacted, with many schools being occupied by warring parties, damaged or destroyed. In addition, we are receiving reports of teachers being killed, threatened and forced to flee. Recent figures show that an estimated 2,500 schools are damaged or destroyed, while approximately 2,000 are being used as shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs). In certain areas, children have not been to school in more than 18 months. In the Aleppo governorate, school attendance has dropped to 6 per cent. Girls' attendance has been particularly affected by the insecurity. Future generations of Syrians are being denied the right to learn in peace. As previously noted, refugee children inside Syria are in a difficult position.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Children have been killed in their homes and in their schools; some have died trying to reach hospitals or while hiding in shelters. The use of cluster munitions has resulted in hundreds of children losing hands, arms or legs. Also of concern is the fact that children in need ofurgent medical care are often not able to gain access to adequate medical assistance. Well over half of Syria's health facilities are either damaged or cannot safely be reached, and approximately 40 per cent of hospitals are inoperative. Many children have recounted experiences of days spent in makeshift hospitals and travelling under extreme conditions to reach hospitals in safe areas or in neighbouring countries.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“Ms. Zerrougui: I would like to start by thanking you, Mr. President, for giving me this opportunity to speak before the Security Council today. The Syrian conflict, now entering its third year, has been a catastrophe for the civilian population. Children have suffered most and in the most heartbreaking ways. The emergency is indeed a children's crisis. There are now more than 3 million children inside Syria who have been affected, of whom almost 2 million are internally displaced. Additionally, more than 600,000 children are refugees in the subregion. Although we can never know the extent of the violations against children while the conflict continues to rage, thousands of children have been killed and thousands more have been injured and maimed in the ongoing fighting.”
2013-04-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6949 (2013) · source
“It can change the fate of a child. Many challenges remain, but Governments and non-State actors have begun to respond to the Council's call for action. I believe that the protection of all children from grave violations is within our reach. If we stand firm and united, we can move forward and deliver on what is expected from us, namely, that the international community come together and demonstrate its determination to protect children from war. I would like to assure all of my partners, including all Member States, that I am willing to work closely, to listen and to act together in this endeavour.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“However, the international community must give much greater support and attention to local and regional accountability mechanisms to strengthen institutional capacity for the long term. There is a need to further examine best practices in this regard and obtain institutional and financial support for these initiatives. Only with local and regional buy-in can we truly say that we have addressed these issues in a durable way. As the Council knows, I served for four years as the Deputy Special Representative for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I would like to share with the Council that children and their families have high expectations of the Council. Victims feel that it can and should alleviate their suffering. I have seen what the Council in action can do.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“I would like to emphasize again that achieving accountability must be a common effort; while the primary responsibility lies with Governments, donor countries should support and help to strengthen national efforts by providing assistance to capacity- building. The Lubanga and Taylor judgements have been a watershed in addressing violations against children in conflict in international and hybrid courts, and the possibility of appearing before the International Criminal Court has proven to be an effective deterrent for military commanders and is useful as leverage in dialogue on action plans. Prosecutions for the recruitment of children have also been undertaken in Myanmar and Colombia with positive effect.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“Furthermore, the conflict along the border of the Sudan and South Sudan has put hundreds of children at risk, including children who are displaced from the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile regions of the Sudan. In addition, I remain deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation concerning access for children in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Accountability is an integral element both to address and to prevent violations against children. Though imperfect, the preventive aspect of accountability is real. It should start with the criminalization of under- age recruitment and the domestication of international norms and standards prohibiting the recruitment and use of children. It must also be accompanied by domestic enforcement through national rule of law institutions.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“The March 23 Movement (M-23), an armed group established by former members of the Congres national pour la defense du peuple, has been responsible for intensive child recruitment campaigns since April this year; reports of recruitment in Rwanda on behalf of M-23 have also been received. M-23 has killed, maimed and injured scores of children, and sexual violence against girls has been reported. I am disturbed by the fact that M-23 perpetrators have a long history of violations against civilians, including children. The flagrant impunity in which they operate must be addressed once and for all. Measures must be taken to avoid political legitimacy for M-23 elements responsible for human rights violations.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“Since its inception in March 2012, the crisis in Mali has been characterized by grave violations against children. Hundreds of cases of recruitment and use of children by the Mouvement national pour la liberation de l'Azawad (MNLA), as well as by Ansar Dine and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, have been reported. Particularly alarming are recent reports of new training camps in northern Mali, run by armed groups. Sexual violence against children, especially by the MNLA, is also of great concern. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the resurgence of violence in the east has once again taken a heavy toll on children.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“I have ensured the Ambassador that I am ready to establish an open dialogue with the Syrian authorities as a sign of good faith towards their moral and legal obligations. In that regard, I have also asked the Ambassador to transmit my call to the Syrian armed forces to evacuate schools as a matter of utmost priority. In Libya, the localized violence and continued presence of so-called armed brigades threaten the lives of children, long after the generalized violence of 2011 came to an end. It remains of concern that incidents of the association of children with armed groups are still being reported. My Office has been in close contact with the Libyan Mission in New York to strategize about how best to address the remaining threats to children in the Libyan context.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“My staff and other United Nations colleagues have documented Government attacks on school, children being denied access to hospitals, girls and boys suffering and dying in bombardments of their neighbourhoods and also being subject to torture, including sexual violence, sometimes for weeks. Since the publication of the report before the Council, my Office has also gathered evidence on violations committed by non-State armed groups in Syria. We have received information concerning indiscriminate bomb attacks that have killed children in Damascus and other areas, and continue to document incidents committed by armed actors, such as the Free Syrian Army, who may have children associated with their forces. I have met with the Syrian Permanent Representative with regard to our concerns.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“That could be done in an incremental manner, starting with those individuals in situations for which a sanctions committee is already in place. It would send a strong signal that the resolutions of the Council are not only words on paper and that Vigorous action can be taken when they are not implemented. Last year, we witnessed a tremendous change in the international environment. That created new opportunities but also new challenges for the United Nations and for this agenda in particular. The situations in Libya, Syria and Mali, for example, pose new threats for children that the Council, along with my Office and its partners, must address. The situation of children in Syria is dire.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“The majority are non-State actors operating in situations where Governments may have the willingness, but not always the capacities to take measures. That is where the Council can play a critical role. The cost of inaction has become too high. It is time to show the Council's determination to act. In follow- up to resolution 1998 (2011), my predecessor requested Ambassador De La Sabliere, former French Permanent Representative to the United Nations, to prepare a comprehensive report on the way forward. The paper proposes a menu of options that could be considered by the Council against those persistent perpetrators. Those include increased tailored political engagement of the Council, strengthened accountability measures and targeted measures, where necessary.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“With that experience in mind, I will now look into working more closely with the League of Arab States, the Organization ofIslamic Cooperation and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Though much positive progress has been achieved, our work is hardly accomplished. In this year's report, 52 armed forces and groups are listed in the annexes. Forty-two of those are non-State armed groups and 10 are Government forces. At the request of the Council and as a follow-up to resolution 1998 (2011), the Secretary-General has listed for the first time five parties to conflict responsible for attacks on schools and hospitals. Of the 52 parties listed, 32 persistent perpetrators have been listed for five years or more.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“We are also increasing our links with the International Labour Organization, especially in relation to the economic reintegration of children formerly associated with armed forces and groups. In addition, we continue to enhance our cooperation with partners on sexual Violence against children to further our implementation of resolution 1882 (2009). In that regard, I look forward to working closely with Under-Secretary-Generai Bachelet and Special Representative of the Secretary- General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Zainab Hawa Bangura. My Office has also been working to develop and strengthen partnerships with regional political and military organizations including the European Union, the African Union and NATO. That has proven useful, in particular in the areas of training, awareness-raising and the conduct of military operations.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“I would like to emphasize that maintaining sufficient and dedicated child protection capacities in peacekeeping and special political missions is key to the implementation of the monitoring and reporting mechanism, as well as the successful conduct of dialogue with parties to conflict. We also continue to work hand in hand with UNICEF to enhance child protection capacities in conflict-affected areas. Beyond our traditional colleagues, new partners are also joining our efforts, especially since the adoption of resolution 1998 (2011). My Office is currently working with UNESCO and has approached the World Health Organization to enhance our monitoring of attacks against schools and hospitals.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“That action plan will include activities to end the recruitment and use of children by the security forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, in accordance with resolution 1882 (2009), measures to prevent and halt sexual violence against children. The continued mainstreaming of the children and armed conflict agenda into the United Nations is central to my Office's work. We are currently supporting the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs in their efforts to update the child protection policy for United Nations field missions. That effort is essential.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“In 2011, action plans were signed in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic and Chad and, this year, in South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia, where the Transitional Federal Government signed the first action plan on killing and maiming of children in August. To date, 20 action plans have been completed or are in the process of being implemented. It is especially heartening to note that practically all Government forces listed for the recruitment and use of children have now either signed an action plan or are negotiating one. I am also happy to report to the Council today that the action plan with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has almost been finalized and is expected to be signed in the coming weeks.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“In 2011 alone, two parties - the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist in Nepal and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal in Sri Lanka - were removed from the annexes after having successfully implemented all concrete and time-bound activities spelled out in their action plans. That brings the total number of de-listed parties to nine. However, it is not just about adding or removing a party from a list. It is about children, first and foremost about releasing children. Since the framework was put in place, tens of thousands of children have been separated from armed forces and groups and reintegrated into their communities. Indeed, actions plans are not only a process. They are a unique tool, mandated by the Council, to bring parties into compliance and to stop violations against children.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“(spoke in English) Before the Council is the eleventh report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (S/2012/261). Since the last debate (see S/PV.6589), there has been tremendous progress - more than we have seen in previous years. However, violations continue to be committed against children, the number of persistent perpetrators has increased, and many new challenges have arisen. With regard to dialogue with parties to conflict, we have seen a number of positive developments. Indeed, eight years after the Council's unanimous adoption of resolution 1539 (2004), action plans have generally been accepted by listed State and non-State parties as a unique tool that can successfully lead to de-listing.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source
“It is an honour for me to address the Security Council for the first time in my capacity as Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Children and Armed Conflict. Members may rest assured that I appreciate the responsibility entrusted to me and the challenges that await us. In that regard, I pay tribute to my predecessor, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, for her exemplary work during the past six years and for the progress achieved made under her guidance. I would also like to thank Germany for convening this open debate. The efforts of the German chairmanship of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict over the past two years made it possible to preserve a cooperative and open spirit. In that regard, I welcome the personnel commitment and the resolve of Ambassador Wittig and his team.”
2012-09-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6838 (2012) · source