European External Action Service

03/13/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/13/2024 09:03

HRC55 - Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict - EU Statement

PRINT

HRC55 - Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict - EU Statement

United Nations Human Rights Council

55th Session

Interactive Dialogue with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict

13 March 2024

EU Statement

Madam Special Representative,

The European Union would like to reiterate our full support for your mandate and thank you for your report.

We are deeply worried by the high number of grave violations committed against children in conflicts around the world, and share your concern regarding the increasing frequency of harmful practices targeting children.

It is outlined in your report that three trends have taken a worrying hold: Firstly, attacks on schools and hospitals are of extreme concern in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Israel, Myanmar, Mali, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Ukraine. Secondly, you point out that at the same time humanitarian access to children is also severely restricted or denied, notably in Afghanistan, Myanmar, parts of Yemen, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. Thirdly, children continue to be detained in large numbers for their actual or alleged association with armed groups.

The effect is devastating both in terms of the immediate impact on a broad array of rights of the child and with regards to children's prospects for a future allowing them to realise their full potential. We therefore join your call upon parties to armed conflicts to enable unimpeded access to inclusive, equitable, and quality education for conflict affected children and to remove all impediments to humanitarian access to children. We also call on all States to endorse global initiatives, such as the Paris Principles and Commitments.

Madam Special Representative,

As you point out, more data is needed on the linkages between conflict and climate-related crises.

How can the EU and its Member States, as one of the world's largest donors of humanitarian aid, help with the collection of such data?

Thank you.