25th Meeting - 61st Session of Human Rights Council

Important announcement.

Speakers are kindly reminded to deliver their statements at a reasonable pace to ensure complete and quality interpretation.

Excellencies, distinguished participants, I hereby Declare open the 25th meeting of the 61st session of the Human Rights Council.

We shall now continue the interactive dialogue with the special representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict. We continue with the list of speakers. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of. Yes. European Union Representative.

The European Union reiterates its support for your mandate. We're deeply concerned that grave violations against children in armed conflict have reached unprecedented levels. Children bear the brunt of hostilities, indiscriminate attacks and deepening humanitarian crises. The record number of children that are being killed and maimed, used and recruited by armed forces and groups, as well as the widespread and under reported sexual violence disproportionately affecting girls, demand urgent action and the EU is acting. The EU Guidelines on Children Armed Conflict commit the EU and its member states to strengthen cooperation with your mandate and systematically monitor and report grape violations in support of UN monitoring and reporting mechanism.

Child protection is also integrated into EU crisis management missions through 1.9 billion euros in humanitarian aid. For 2026, the EU provides support to children in conflict zones. 10% of this funding goes to education in emergencies, a vital protection measure for children. Across our diplomatic development and peace building efforts. We also support prevention, reintegration and rehabilitation of former child soldiers.

These actions demonstrate that the EU's commitment to protecting children in armed conflict and to ensuring accountability for grave violations. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lithuania on behalf of a group of countries.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Lebanon Triangle, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine. The global rise in grave violations against children in armed conflict is deeply alarming. We strongly support special representatives mandate to document these violations and to advance protection and relief for affected children. The situation in Ukraine is a stark and tragic example of this trend.

Ukrainian children are being killed, maimed and deliberately attacks against schools persist as Russia continues its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine for the fifth consecutive year. In addition, Russia, with the support of Belarus, has been deporting Ukrainian children. Already up to 20,000 children have been forcibly transferred as confirmed by the OTHR. Ukrainian children are also subjected to indoctrination and militarization with the genocidal aim to erase their national identity. Since 2023, for the first time, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council has been listed among parties responsible for grave violations.

Clearly impunity enables Russia to continue these policies. This must be stopped. Madam Special Representative, could you please inform us of your next steps with regard to the engagement of relevant mechanisms and efforts aimed at facilitating the return of Ukrainian children to their homes? I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Saudi Arabia on behalf of the Arab Group.

Mr. Vice President, I'm pleased to deliver this statement on behalf of the Arab Group. At the outset, we'd like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict for her report and we wish her every success in the delivery of her mandate. We attach great importance to the promotion and protection of the rights of children in all settings, particularly in armed conflicts. And our countries, individually or collectively under the Arab League, have been making efforts in this regard, adopting decisions and resolutions as well as strategies that work towards protecting children from all risks of war and their impact. As part of our efforts to consolidate our legal framework, we have finalized recently the deliberations over an indicative Arab law for the protection of children from recruitment in armed conflict, paving the way for its adoption.

This law aims to prevent the recruitment of children and to address the violations and ensure reintegration of children who have been associated with armed forces or armed groups. The Arab Group expresses its utmost condemnation for the deplorable Israeli practices as part of its ongoing assault on the Gaza Strip since October 2023 and its systematic targeting of children. We call upon the international community to shoulder its responsibility to protect Palestinian children from Israeli crimes and to obligate the occupation to apply international instruments and conventions pertaining to the protection of children. Thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kenya on behalf of the African group.

Mr. Vice President. The African Group thanks the Special representative of the Secretary Solidary General for Children and Armed Conflicts for her comprehensive report and welcomes her continued engagement with the Human Rights Council. The African Group remains deeply concerned by the scale and severity of grave violations against children in armed conflicts. We note with particular concern the increase in killing, maiming, child recruitment, sexual offence and attack on schools and hospitals which continue to devastate children in several regions.

We welcome the engagement of the Office of the Special Representative with African states and the progressive achieved by several countries through Action Plan and national framework to end grave violations against children. The African Group also welcomes the strengthened partnership between the United nations and the African Union in advancing regional cooperation on children and armed conflicts. The African Group underscores that addressing rape violations against children in armed conflicts requires coordinated and comprehensive approach, including strengthening national capacities to prevent, investigate and respond to violations ensuring long term, holistic and gender and age sensitive reintegration and and rehabilitation programs. On promoting accountability while respecting national ownership and due process. In closing, the African group reiterates its unwavering commitment to protecting children's rights everywhere and stresses that close collaboration with regional organization is essential for sustainable solutions.

I thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belgium on behalf of a group of countries.

Mr. Vice President, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of Friends on Children and Armed Conflict, co chaired by Belgium and Uruguay. The latest SRG's report confirms the highest number of violations against children since the establishment of the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, emphasizing the urgent need for strengthened prevention, protection and accountability. We are alarmed by the rise in conflict related sexual violence against children which requires a comprehensive and survivor centered approach including access to health care, education and psychosocial support. Accountability for violations of international law, including the six grave violations against children, must be pursued through reinforced national and international mechanisms, including child sensitive investigations, prosecutions and effective remedies. Child protection must be systematically integrated across all phases of conflict and peace processes, ensuring children's full, meaningful, inclusive and safe participation.

As we celebrate 30 years of the CAC Mandate, we welcome its evolution into a resource oriented framework. However, the Mandate's full and effective implementation requires adequate and predictable resourcing. In conclusion, a group of friends reaffirms its unwavering support for the CAC Mandate and urges all States and parties to conflict to cooperate free fully with the UN civil society and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that children remain at the center of the peace and security agenda. I thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the State of Palestine.

Mr. Vice President, the State of Palestine thanks the special representative for her report. Yet reality in the occupied Palestinian territory is far worse. The essence of childhood has been destroyed in Gaza. The Palestinian children have been deliberately targeted, including through sniper fire, drone strikes and deliberate attacks on densely populated civilian areas. According to the Palestinian Ministry of health, more than 21,000 Palestinian children have been killed and more than 44,000 injured.

Let that number sink in. The report recalls that serving civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited under international law. Yet Palestinian children continue to face starvation as humanitarian aid is obstructed. Famine conditions were identified in Gaza last year with warnings it may return by April if the blockade and malnutrition continues. The report attributes that most child killings and injuries, attacks on schools and hospitals and the obstruction of humanitarian aid to government forces.

In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, these violations are being committed by Israel, the illegal occupying power in Gaza. The destruction of schools and hospitals have effectively collapsed both educational and health care systems. Situations of occupation must receive greater attention in the children and armed conflict agenda and in this Council's resolutions, as they are among the most persistent and severe violations of children's rights. We therefore encourage the Special Representative, in line with her mandate, to continue calling out violations. Clearly.

Thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malta.

Thank you, Vice President. Malta lends itself to the statement of the European Union and thanks the SRSG for her report.

Malta remains a strong supporter of the CAC mandate and for the need to ensure the allocation of adequate resources to this Mandate. We joined the SRSG in expressing deep concerns on the use of autonomous weapon systems in warfare. Along with continued increase of killing and maiming of children through the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Malta supports efforts to address the threats that these weapons impose. Malta recalls and reaffirms the importance of safeguarding children during peace operation transitions.

And in this regard, implementation of Resolution 2764 is crucial. We also joined the SRSG in calling for all parties to allow and facilitate safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian access to children, as well as safeguarding the mechanisms that allow for aid to arrive. Grave violations against children continue to increase in this report. Fully aware of the importance of capacity building, Malta has continued to fund training on CAC. Special representative, in light of Security Council resolution 2764 on safeguarding children during peace Operation Transitions, what steps are needed to ensure that child protection remains a priority when missions draw down and how can Member States best support us?

Thank you. Vice President. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Sudan.

Thank you. Vice President would like to thank the Special Representative for her annual report and for the presentation. Sudan associates itself with the Arab Group and the African Group statements. We are eager in Sudan towards protecting children and ensuring that they enjoy the right to life, to education, to health care and all other rights. And the report has indicated the cooperation by the Sudanese government and the Council on Children with the United nations.

And this included the handover of a number of children that have been used by the RSF in its various assaults and aggressions to their families. Sudan is looking forward to more cooperation in this area and this should include the psychological rehabilitation of children who've been exposed to violence. A number of reports indicate the sheer scale of the violations against children in Darfur with the rebel militia recruiting them in combat and exposed communities to forced recruitment. And children, like other members of society, have been exposed to the aggression during the fascia attacks. And the girls have been exposed to wide ranging sexual violence.

And we call upon the Special representative to condemn those violations. Thank you, Vice President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Syrian Arab Republic,

Shukran. Thank you.

We'd like to thank the Special Representative for her instructive presentation and her efforts to promote the protection for children in armed conflict. Mr. Vice President, the practices of the defunct regime during the years of the Syrian revolution a deep impact on children in Syria, particularly with the spread of remnants of war in various regions which are still a direct risk on the lives and security of children. And this has also impacted the daily lives and the sound growth of our children. Now the government in Syria is working to adopt sustainable recovery pathways in such a way as to ensure the welfare and rights of children. A successful visit by the Special representative has been conducted to Syria in last February and we've done every effort to facilitate her visit and organize bilateral and other meetings as well as field visits.

As such, we reiterate our willingness to engage constructively with this mandate to address the six grave violations during the defunct regime against children in such a way as to achieve the best interest of the child. Thank you, Vice President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Nigeria aligns with the African group and thanks to Special representative for the report. While mindful of current security challenges, these have only strengthened our resolve to protect all civilians, particularly children. For Nigeria, ensuring that every child can learn in safety remains a secret priority grounded in our constitutional and international obligations. In this regard, we have accelerated the national plan of financing safe schools, providing critical investment to secure learning environments.

We are also strengthening accountability through ongoing reforms and international cooperation to ensure that human rights and humanitarian standards are mainstreamed into all security operations with the primary focus of protecting civilians. We welcome the report's recognition of our cooperation with the UN, particularly in institutionalizing the 2022 handover protocol through military doctrine and training. We also note the recognition of the critical role of the Federal Ministry of Women affairs in providing care and reintegration of children affected by armed conflict. Going forward, Nigeria underscores the importance of context sensitive approaches. It is vital that global reporting distinguishes between state efforts and the illegal and inhumane actions of non state armed groups.

Finally, Nigeria reaffirms that every child has the right to live and the opportunity to thrive in a safe society. We remain committed to ensuring this becomes the lived reality of every child in Nigeria through concrete actions. I thank you, Mr. Vice President. President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Russian Federation.

Thank you, Vice president. We congratulate Ms. Fraser on taking up her post as special representative of the SG for Children Armed Conflict. Russia traditionally focuses on working with this mechanism. We would like to know what the priority tasks are that Ms. Frazier has set herself and what may expect in the near future. We would like to point to not repeating the errors of the past.

In discussing this topic. We refer to references to vague wordings regarding conflict affected children's which are not limited by the time frames of the conflict or the theater of war and therefore have no direct relation to your mandate which refers only to minors in armed conflict. Instead of touching on children as a whole and keeping to the terminology of the leading resolutions, for example, these are examples of possible exceeding of the mandate and this should not be repeated. We call on Ms. Fraser to in order not to apply this, the references to trans and other issues and the reference to safe schools is an example. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Haiti.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The delegation of Haiti would like to thank the special representative of the Secretary General for the presentation of her report and for her constant commitment towards the protection of children who are in a situation of armed conflict. We are deeply concerned about the alarming trends described in the report and in particular the significant increase of serious violations committed against children.

Data says that There are over 41,000 verified violations 2024 which attests to the seriousness of the suffering children continue to be confronted with in many different contexts. The delegation of Haiti also notes with concern that its country is among those situation where a high number of violations children's rights has been verified. Ongoing existence of violence perpetrated by armed groups seriously affects communities and exposes children to increased risk. In particular, recruitment and use by armed groups, abductions, sexual violence and attacks against schools and school infrastructures. In the face of these challenges, my country reaffirms its commitment to protect the rights of children pursuant to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the CRC and its related instruments OPAK and opsk.

We attach particular importance to the recruitment of children, the protection there from protection of children there also a reintegration. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Qatar.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank Ms. Fraser for her report and welcome her efforts to implement her mandate or to fulfill her mandate we condemn the hostile attacks perpetrated by Iran against Qatari targets and neighboring countries, which has a very negative impact on the rights of children, particularly the right to life, education, health, security. We call for these attacks to end and for authors thereof to be brought to account. We attach increased importance to children in armed conflicts. We welcome international efforts in cooperation with the UN mechanisms in charge of protection the rights of children, especially the office of the SRSG for the Protection of Children in armed Conflicts through the Centre for Analysis and Documentation in Doha and by providing it the necessary support.

Thanks to research, training and technical assistance.

With a view to promoting education and the protection of children, the Ministry of Education and Further Education in Qatar, in cooperation with the National Commission, Qatari Commission for Education, Culture and Science has launched in September last year the first phase of the Prove It Matters global campaign in cooperation with the UNESCO office in Doha. The aim being to preach the value of peace and relay the voice of children through innovative initiatives. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ukraine.

Mr. President. Ukrainian children remain among the most affected victims of Russia's war. Alongside daily missile attacks and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, children face one of the gravest violations under international law. Unlawful deportation, forcible transfer and enforced disappearance. Commission on Inquiry on Ukraine concluded that these actions constitute war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity.

After the start of the full scale invasion, more than 80% of these children have still not returned home. Many have been placed in institutions or so called families across 21 regions of Russia, often granted Russian citizenship and subjected to attempt to erase their Ukrainian identity. These findings are based on extensive investigations, including hundreds interviews with parents, children, relatives, experts and officials, as well as examination of thousands of documents and official records. And they serve as evidences. Behind every number is a child separated from their family and the family disparately searching for their child.

For them this is not a statistic but ongoing tragedy. Ukraine calls on the special representative to intensify efforts to ensure the immediate return of all deported Ukrainian children, protect their rights and identity and ensure full accountability for those responsible. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Liechtenstein.

Mr. Vice President, Liechtenstein thanks a special representative for her comprehensive and concerning report. We are deeply alarmed by disturbing trends in grave violations against children. The killing and maiming of children, the recruitment and abduction and the denial of humanitarian access remain tragically widespread. In particular, the increase in incidence of sexual violence against children is profoundly concerning, depriving children of their fundamental rights, including their rights to Life, education, health care and protection can never be justified. Liechtenstein strongly supports the Children in Armed Conflict mandate and the work of the Special Representative, underscoring their vital role in strengthening accountability, enhancing prevention efforts and ensuring the protection of children.

We welcome the progress achieved in persecuting perpetrators of crimes against children and in supporting victims and survivors, particularly those who have experienced experience sexual violence. Mr. Vice President, we must redouble our efforts to ensure the perpetrators are held accountable and that impunity does not prevail in this regard. Could the Special Representative elaborate on how States can most effectively strengthen accountability for grave violations against children, including through domestic legislation, universal jurisdiction and cooperation with international justice mechanisms, while ensuring survivor centered approaches? I thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Vice President, the Dominican Republic is thankful for the presentation. The report made by the srsg. The figures contained therein encourages to face a cruel reality. Over 41,000 violations in 2024. Behind these numbers, there are lives damaged by violence, forced displacement and recruitment and use by armed groups and serious interruptions in their development.

Let us remember that childhood continues to be one of the most vulnerable groups in armed conflict. We are deeply concerned about the attacks against schools and hospitals as well as about the restrictions to humanitarian access. These situations deprive millions of children from essential services for their survival and for their well being. We've taken note of the reference to Haiti, including those contexts where serious human rights violations against children have been verified. This reality highlights the importance the need for the international community to keep in its line of sight these situations and strengthen international response geared towards the protection of civilian population and in particular the protection of children.

We reaffirm our commitment to the strengthening of actions for children and we need to protect children if we want to protect our nations and all countries of the world. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Sudan.

Mr. Vice President.

South Sudan aligns with the African Group statement and welcomed the report of the Special representative of the Secretary General and the recommendation contained therein. We acknowledge in particular paragraph 22 of the report on South Sudan reaffirm the government's commitment to continue working with the United nations to advance the implementation of the action plan to end and prevent all six grave violations against children. Despite the complex security challenges, the Government of South Sudan continues to prioritize zero tolerance for recruitment of children, working closely with UN Mission in South Sudan and UNICEF to facilitate safe release of children and their transition into civilian life through community based integration programs and enforce accountability through deployment of mobile court to prosecute perpetrators of violations against children to end impunity. In conclusion, Mr. Vice President, protection of children in armed conflict requires more than just policies or recommendations. It requires a shift in both our moral urgency and our technical precisions.

I thank you, Mr. Vice President. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Mr. Vice President, the OIC delegations welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Frezia as the Special Representative and takes note of her report and today's presentation. We are profoundly concerned by the persistently high number of grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict, including their killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction and forced displacement, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access.

We reiterate our view that the catastrophic situation of Palestinian children under illegal Israeli occupation continues to deserve more expedition attention and a stronger call for urgent action. The OIC strongly condemns the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure essential to children in Gaza. We call for the rapid, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, including food, clean water, fuel for hospitals, medical supplies and psychosocial support for the traumatized children. In the west bank, including East Jerusalem, Palestinian children face a different yet equally intolerable reality of military raids, checkpoints, arbitrary detention and settler terrorism. We call on the international community to hold Israel accountable to for the imposition of a suffocating siege and collective punishment of the Palestinian people, including children.

UNWRA and the essential services it provides for children must not only be protected but actively supported. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iraq.

Thank you, Vice President. We thank the special representative of the Secretary General for the report which describes the challenges to addressing threats against children in armed conflict. We have taken serious effective measures to protect children in armed conflict. This has allowed us to remove our country from the list of the Secretary General on children affected by armed conflict. We've worked with UN agencies to prevent the violation of children's rights and ensure follow up.

And we pursuing the return of Iraqi citizens from Al Hou camp in Syria, providing support services and reintegration.

We have also strengthened protection of children against exploitation and recruitment. In conclusion, we thank the special Representative, the Secretary General and we remain committed to the rights and to the protection of children in the context of armed conflict.

Thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Portugal.

Mr. Vice President. We align with the statement delivered by the European Union and the Group of Friends on children and armed conflict. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the mandate of the Special Representative, the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict. It is a bittersweet moment. While we maintain our unwavering support and acknowledge the important role you and your predecessors have played, we cannot but regret that this mandate remains so necessary.

Children have no place in armed conflict and their protection should constitute a collective priority. Yet we are witnessing an alarming rise in grave violations, including attacks on schools and hospitals, killing and maiming, recruitment, sexual violence, abduction and denial of humanitarian access. Children are enduring the most severe impacts of violence. Indiscriminate attacks, breaches of ceasefires and peace agreements, an escalating humanitarian crisis. In this vein, we call on all states to to ratify and implement the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of the Child on the involvement of children in Armed Conflict as well as the Safe Schools declaration.

Madam Special Representative, what measures can States take to strengthen early warning mechanisms in cooperation with your mandate in order to prevent grave violations against children in armed conflict? Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Slovakia,

Mr. Vice President. Slovakia aligns with the EU statement and welcomes the report of the Special Representative.

We are deeply concerned by the alarming increase in grave violations against children, including killing, maiming, recruitment, abductions, sexual violence and attacks on schools and hospitals. These violations represent serious breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law and require immediate attention. Slovakia supports the UN's monitoring and reporting mechanism as well as engagement with parties to conflict to prevent violations and to secure the release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and groups. Accountability for perpetrators and survivor centered approaches remain essential for addressing these crimes. We underline the importance of ensuring safe access to education, protection services and humanitarian assistance for all children.

Strengthening humanitarian human rights, peace and security nexus is key in addressing complex challenges. Madam Special Representative, what further measures can be taken to ensure that child protection remains prioritized during the drawdown of UN peace operations and global decrease in humanitarian funding? I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Vice President. My delegation aligns with the statement made by the African group and thanks the SRS chief for the report. An opportunity once more to focus on the consequences of conflict on children and the human rights in conflict zones. Children cannot enjoy their rights, including education, health care, drinking water and overall sustainable development. We are party to the CRC and other international instruments on human rights and children and work with are partners such as UNESCO and MONUSCO on the rights of children and their Living conditions.

The Rwandan army's aggression exacerbated violations of children's rights in the north and south of north and South Kivu Children were harmed by this. Despite many calls by the international community and the progress to the peace agreement agreements, children are victims of armed aggression and live in poverty. Because of this, we seek a restoration of peace and its consolidation. We must invest in conflict prevention. It is crucial to focus on peace and education in the full respect of international commitments.

Thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador,

Senor Visa President. Vice President Ecuador thanks the Special representative for the report. We agree on the importance of specific provisions to protect children within the doctrine, operational procedures and training of the security forces and ensuring reintegration of minors who have been demobilized from groups.

Through an executive decree, we declared as a national priority the prevention and eradication of recruitment, use and use of children and adolescents by armed groups, terrorists and organized crime groups. Our country also has an Institutional Committee for Prevention and Eradication of Recruitment and Use of Children and Adolescents. This includes territorial strategies for community awareness and strengthening of the education system as well as psychological, legal and educational support to reduce risks of recruitment and provide for reintegration. The Ministry of Defence has strengthened the processes of training for military staff in terms of child protection, human rights and application of the best interests of of the child within operations. We reaffirm our full commitment to the protection and reintegration of children and adolescents who are victims of armed conflict, violence and transnational organized crime and call on the international community to support these efforts.

Thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Council of Europe.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. And congratulations to the Special Rapporteur on her appointment. Since the beginning of Russia's full scale aggression against Ukraine, the Council of Europe has been at the forefront of efforts to support children of Ukraine wherever they are, those suffering from the protected conflict within Ukraine, those who needed to flee to other Council of Europe Member States and those lawfully deported by the Russian Federation. We do this through multilateral dialogue, through awareness raising and through technical support. The Intergovernmental Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine is a place where Member States, international organizations and civil society develop rapid legal and policy responses on common issues of concern, such as on access to education of children who fled Ukraine, safe return to Ukraine, trauma informed care, the protection of children with disabilities and international justice and accountability for crimes against children.

These efforts are reinforced by the Secretary General's Special Envoy on the Situation of Children of Ukraine who raises awareness of the plight of Ukrainian children, including those unlawfully deported to the Russian Federation. And finally, we provide dedicated technical assistance to support the Ukrainian authorities in improving child friendly justice and strengthening child protection on the ground.

Thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The SRSG's briefing confirms a deeply troubling reality. Grave violations against children have reached unprecedented levels and they define the lived experience of children trapped in conflict. These are not collateral consequences. They are violations of international law.

And these figures represent only a fraction of the true scale of suffering, as excess constraints and insecurity hinder monitoring and protection efforts. If what we see is already unprecedented, what remains unseen should concern us even more. Accountability is not optional. It is urgent. Nowhere is this urgency clearer than in Gaza.

Children in Gaza are enduring, killing and maiming on a devastating scale. Schools and hospitals, spaces that should offer safety, have become sites of destruction. The denial of humanitarian access continues to deprive children of food, medical care and protection. When even BB formula is barred, children are indirectly targeted. The systematic erosion of essential civilian infrastructure has consequences that will scar a generation.

As the report had underscored, armed conflict inflicts profound and long term psychological harm on children, including toxic stress that may permanently alter life trajectories. This cannot be normalized. Malaysia reiterates that international mission law must be upheld without exception. Thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines.

Mr. President. Over the past two decades, the Philippines has built a strong normative and institutional framework to uphold the rights of children affected by armed conflict. Our laws and policies recognize children as zones of peace. They also advance a rights based and victim centered approach to the rehabilitation reintegration of children, including those recruited by non state armed groups.

We welcomed the Philippines removal from the SRSG's agenda in 2025 in recognition of the significant progress achieved through sustained reforms implemented through a whole of society approach involving the armed forces of law enforcement, government agencies, civil society and other partners under the stewardship of the Council for the Welfare of Children. Beyond national action, we contribute to the strengthening of global norms, including through the Global Initiative to galvanize political commitment to international humanitarian law, particularly on the protection of civilian infrastructure and facilities essential to children's enjoyment of human rights, particularly the rights to life itself, health and education. We will continue to strengthen measures to prevent the recruitment of children by the new People's army of the Communist Party of the Philippines, ensure accountability for perpetrators and expand rehabilitation and reintegration programs. The Philippine government is unwavering in its commitment to protect every Filipino child from the scourge of conflict and ensure that they thrive in dignity and safety, realizing their full potential as a valued member of our society. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Czechia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Madam Special Representative, the Czech Republic aligns itself with the statement delivered by the EU and the Group of Friends on children and armed conflict and reiterates its strong support for your mandate. We are deeply concerned about the situation of children affected by armed conflict worldwide, particularly as the number of children subjected to grave violations has reached unprecedented and alarming levels. As highlighted in your report, this trend underscores the urgent need to reinforce prevention, protection and accountability. One example of serious violations of children's rights in the context of armed conflict is the situation of children impacted by the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.

We strongly condemn forcible deportation and unlawful transfer of children from Ukrainian territories temporarily under the control of Russian Federation. This grave violation of human rights must end and all affected children must be safely returned without delay. Coordinated international action to address this unlawful practice and full accountability for those responsible is essential. Madam Special Representative, what additional measures would you recommend to further strengthen accountability for violations of children's rights in armed conflict, particularly in terms of ensuring unhindered access for international investigative and accountability mechanisms? I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Lebanon.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Lebanon thanks the SRSG for her tireless efforts and valuable contributions to the recent UPR of Lebanon. During last year's dialogue, Lebanon highlighted the devastating impact of Israeli aggressions on our children.

Regrettably, renewed attacks continue to violate their fundamental rights to life, safety and security while depriving them of access to education, health care and the simple protections every child deserves. The destruction of livelihoods leaves families in extreme vulnerability. Countless children are being killed or forced to flee and face long term trauma. While international humanitarian and human rights law provide a clear framework for the protection of children in armed conflict, Lebanon's situation, together with those of other countries across our region and beyond, underscores the widening gap between normative commitments and realities on the ground. Too often the obligation to protect children is simply ignored once a war machine is unleashed.

So when principles are widely endorsed, how can we strengthen and upgrade our collective efforts to ensure their full implementation so that our children everywhere are truly protected as we have promised? I thank you, Mr. Vice President.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Colombia.

Thank you, President. And thank you Special Representative, we welcome the report.

We received this as a country that for decades lived with the consequences of armed conflict that devastated children of generations. The impact of armed conflict on children is widespread. It transcends generations. The negotiated end to conflict is still the most effective mechanism to end violence and protect children. Colombia believes this and practices this.

It will do so with the international community. We are still gravely concerned that the devastating effects of the many armed conflicts on children, adolescents and young people, including systematic devastation of children in Gazma, Gaza, where tens of thousands of children have been killed since 2023. More than ever we need to bring this to an end. Recruitment and use of children, attacks on children, on schools and hospitals, sexual violence and denied access to humanitarian assistance.

Special Representative, in your experience in the mandate, how could the Colombian process be applied to protect children in active conflict? Disclaimer. The statement was read too fast for full interpretation.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cambodia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Cambodia thanks the Special Representative for her comprehensive reports. Cambodia shares deep concern over the rising trend of grave violations against children in armed conflict reaching unprecedented levels as stated in the report which have been committed by both state and non state actors. In this fora, Cambodia calls upon all actors to abide by international humanitarian law and human rights law as they are covered by the Geneva Conventions and the Additional Protocols. No matter the nature of the conflict, children's fundamental rights should not be violated and should not be utilized as pawns under any circumstances.

Cambodia commends the Special Representative for her continued cooperation with various regional and sub regional organizations worldwide and encourages further development of partnerships with ASEAN as part of her efforts to strengthen the protection of children in armed conflict. Lastly, Cambodia endorses the recommendations put forward by the Special Representative. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of UNICEF.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We welcome the report of the Special Representative. The report paints a grim picture of the situation of children caught in conflict. UNICEF is profoundly alarmed by the extent and severity of violations of children's rights in armed conflict, including the staggering increase in grave violations for the third consecutive year and a spike in the number of children subject to multiple violations. We also deeply concerned about the harm to children caused by explosive weapons including in populated areas and by parties use of technologies such as AI powered weapons with elements of autonomous decision making in this increasingly challenging environment.

We welcome efforts by the Special Representative, the broader UN system and partners to engage with parties listed in the Secretary General's report to achieve concrete and tangible results. For children. The fruit of this engagement reminds us that this work is crucial, life saving and worth investing. The Children and Armed Conflict mandate remains a unique tool for accountability and we welcome further efforts in this regard. We urge parties to conflict to take all measures to end and prevent grave violations against children and to fully comply with international law.

We further call upon actors with influence over parties to use their leverage to put an end to violations and for all Member States to continue to support and reaffirm the indispensable mandate of the Children on Armed Conflict agenda and its monitoring and reporting mechanism. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Costa Rica.

Thank you. Vice President. Costa Rica thanks the Special representative for the report which unfortunately shows that in recent years there's been an unprecedented rise in the figures regarding grave violations, children's rights in armed conflict. The situation is a worrying one. There are high levels of recruitment and use of children.

They are denied access to basic and humanitarian services and the victims of the systematic use of sexual violence as a weapon of war. This disproportionately affects girls. We agree that peace and security are crucial for efforts to prevent and to protect the human rights of children. Thus, we continue to be active in presenting initiatives to this Council to step up efforts to implement resolutions and existing mechanisms, such as prior Resolution 6019 jointly with Qatar on access to justice, resources and reparations and the current resolution proposed by the Group of Latin American, Caribbean States and the European Union. We will continue to lead full, effective implementation of the political declaration on the strengthening of the protection of the civilian population against the humanitarian consequences deriving from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

We will continue to work actively and constructively so that children's rights can be effectively respected and protected in all contexts. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Kuwait,

Mr. Vice Chair. the outset, my country's delegation would like to align itself with the groups to which we belong and we share the SRSG's deep concern about the increasing serious violations against children.

For the third consecutive year and amid the impunity, we strongly condemn the Iranian aggressive attacks by missiles and drones that targeted the state of Kuwait and brotherly Gulf states and countries of the region and which led to the death of martyrs, including an innocent girl that was killed by shrapnels from a drone in a residential area. This is a crime we denounce and Kuwait asks for all measures to stop these crimes. In light of all what we have been seeing in the region, increasing conflicts targeting children at home. We would like to ask the srsg, are the mechanisms to monitor the crimes sufficient to act as a deterrent or are there deeper measures that are now inevitably needed? Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Montenegro.

Mr. My President. We welcome the SR's representative report and reaffirm our strong support for the mandate. The report reveals a deeply alarming trend.

A 25% increase in grave violation against children in 2024 compared to 2023, marking the third consecutive year of escalation and reflecting the devastating toll of today's conflicts on children. One in five children worldwide now lives in a conflict affected setting. The proliferation of armed actors, private security companies and new technologies in worf and warfare exposes children to hostilities, discriminate attacks and worsening humanitarian crises. Many children face multiple violations, abduction, recruitment and sexual violence, reflecting the escalating brutality of contemporary conflicts. Child recruitment remains persistently high, worsened by prolonged displacement and a disrupted education and livelihood, threatening children's safety and prospects.

Addressing the root cause is essential. This requires criminalizing recruitment and use of children, strengthening prevention and ensuring universal ratification and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol to the involvement of children in armed conflict. The rise in sexual violence against children with a girl disproportionately affected requires long term, holistic gender and age sensitive reintegration and stronger accountability through child sensitive justice and reparation. Madame Sara SG as you mark the 30th anniversary of the mandate, how can your campaign prove its matters further? Drive stronger state accountability and concrete action to deliver tangible improvements for children affected by armed conflict?

Thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Afghanistan.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. We thank the special representative for confronting the realities of children in Afghanistan.

The report identifies Afghanistan among the gravest situation for denial of humanitarian access and attacks on schools and hospitals, and also expresses concern over the killings and maiming of children and the devastating tool of exclusive ordinance. Our children are living under unrelenting strain amid exclusive remnants of war, attacks on school, schools and hospitals, persistent denial of humanitarian access, displacement, poverty, institutional collapse and the systematic exclusion of women and girls from public life. These realities are stripping away the safety, care, education, family unity and sense of belonging that every child needs to develop, remain protected and live with dignity. Mr. Vice President, we insist on continued prevention through demining, child risk education, humanitarian access, protection of schools and hospitals, reintegration supports and psychosocial, educational and community based recovery. We ask, with funding cuts increasingly weakening child Protection responses in Afghanistan.

How can we best sustained prevention, documentation and child centered support? I thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Italy.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Italy aligns itself with the statements of the EU and of the Group of Friends on children in our conflict. We thank the Special Representative for her report denoting a systematic lack of respect by both states and non state actors for the special protection of children. Indiscriminate strikes with increasingly destructive weapons, the targeting of critical civil infrastructure and the restriction of humanitarian access have devastating impacts on children who continue to be victims of abduction and forced recruitment. The increase in deliberate attacks on children and in sex violence as methods of warfare are also unacceptable.

We are particularly worried about the special condition of vulnerability that children with disabilities face during armed conflicts. Italy invites all states to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on Protection of Children in Armed Conflict, to sign the Safe School Declaration to decriminalize recruitment and other grave violations in times of war and to follow in all circumstances the best interest of the child Principal. Special Representative. The use of new technologies and artificial intelligence in armed conflicts has warring implications for children. How should States cooperate to tackle the issue in compliance with international humanitarian law?

I thank you. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Greece.

President. Greece aligns itself with the EU statement and thanks the Special Representative for her report. We remain deeply concerned by the scale of grave violations against children in armed conflict, including killing, maiming, recruitment, sexual violence and denial of humanitarian access. Attacks on aid workers and the destruction of infrastructure further deprive children of education, health care and essential services. The surge in violations highlighted in your report underscore the urgent need for coordinated action.

We emphasize the importance of the monitoring and reporting mechanism in the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict in promoting accountability and engaging with parties to conflict. Greece supports these mechanisms as key tools for ensuring compliance with international law and holding perpetrators accountable. We also stress the need to integrate child protection into peacekeeping mandates and military practices, to provide age and gender sensitive reintegration for children formally associated with armed forces or armed groups, and to ensure safe and unhidden humanitarian access for all affected children. Greece, as a non permanent Security Council member, is committed to supporting these efforts and to promoting the implementation of the recommendations in your report, including holistic approaches linking humanitarian development and peace initiatives. We reaffirm our commitment to protecting the rights and well being of children affected by conflict in line with international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Peru.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. We thank the SRSG for her report and recognize acknowledge her work and to raise the visibility and monitor the serious humorous violations affected children. In particular in an assignment scenario in which there's a greater complexity of armed conflicts. We are deeply concerned about the fact that for the third year running, serious violations of the rights of children in confidence have reached unprecedented levels. More than 41,000 serious violations registrated by the United nations, including deaths, mutilations, abductions and other forms of violence, attest to this devastating landscape.

Furthermore, we are deeply concerned about the increase of attacks against schools and hospitals. We appeal to the parties to conflicts to fully respect international humanitarian law, international human rights law, including the norms for the protection of childhood. Finally, we reiterate our availability to continue to work closely with the SRSG as well as the UN system and Member States to to strengthen protection of all children affected by armed conflicts. Thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ethiopia.

Thank you, Vice President. Ethiopia thanks the Special representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict for the presentation of her report and takes note of the observation reflected in the report. Ethiopia reiterates its commitment to its obligation under international humanitarian law and international human rights law to ensure the protection and well being of children. To this end, Ethiopia reaffirms a strong commitment to constructive engagement with the Committee on the Rights of the Child, including through the recent presentation of its report in 2026 under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and continued implementation of its recommendation.

Ethiopia also welcomes the Special Representative's continued engagement with the regional organizations, particularly the African Union, as well as the strength partnership with the Member States, civil societies and the broader United nations system. Mr. Vice President, Ethiopia underscores the importance of strengthening national accountability mechanisms, promoting prevention and early warning approaches and sharing best practices to better protect children affected by armed conflicts. We also encourage continued international cooperation and a partnership to address this challenge in a comprehensive and coordinated manner. In closing, Ethiopia remains committed to continuing strengthening its national legal and policy frameworks to prevent violence against children, enhance child protection mechanism. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Germany.

Thank you. Mr. Vice President. Germany thanks the Special Representative for her sobering update. And we also align ourselves with the EU statement. Mr. Vice President, every child deserves a future defined by dignity, safety and opportunity.

A commitment rooted in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Germany is alarmed by the unprecedented levels of grave violations documented last year, specifically the targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure and the denial of humanitarian access. We reiterate our call on all parties to abide by international humanitarian and human rights law and to uphold the rights of children. Germany commenced the efforts of the Special Representative and is pleased to announce its continued support to the office's work against denial of humanitarian access. We were happy to see support the development of a guidance note that provides standardized criteria for the identification and documentation of this issue.

And we look forward to continuing this collaboration this year by facilitating its dissemination in more languages and overall capacity building. Madam Special Representative, as new technologies and private military actors complicate modern warfare, we must adapt our response. How can we better equip local child protection actors to monitor and prevent the recruitment of children by armed groups that operate increasingly through digital platforms and emerging technologies? Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of slovenia.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. Madam Special Representative, at the outset, let me reiterate my country's strong support to your mandate. We align ourselves with the statement of the European Union and endorse the joint statements delivered by Belgium and Norway.

Mr. Vice President, for the third consecutive year, grave violations against children have reached unprecedented levels. Record numbers of killing and maiming, recruitment and use of children and rising conflict related sexual violence demand urgent action. Children are increasingly exposed to indiscriminate attacks, displacement, hunger and the collapse of essential services. In this context, Slovenia recalls that all parties must allow and facilitate safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian access and that starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited under international humanitarian law. Slovenia believes stronger prevention, protection and accountability are essential, supported by child sensitive investigations, prosecutions and effective remedies.

As we mark 30 years of the CAC mandate, we welcome its evolution into a results oriented framework supported by the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism and Targeted Action Plans. However, as already highlighted, its full implementation requires political commitment and adequate resources. Madam Special Representative, how can the UN better integrate child protection across conflict prevention, mediation and peace building, including in the context of the UN AT process? I thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of togo.

Thank you. Mr. Vice President. My delegation thanks the Special Representative for her report and underscores the pressing need to protect and promote the rights of children, including in contexts of armed conflict, pursuant to general international law and humanitarian law. We have taken measures to strengthen our regulatory framework in order to do just that. In particular through ratifying in 2003 the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the involvement of Armed Children in Armed Conflicts.

The involvement of children in armed conflicts. It also acceded in 2021 to the Intergovernmental Declaration on Safe Schools and in 2022 to the Vancouver Principles on the Protection of Children in the context of peacekeeping operations. Regionally, Togo is cooperating in particular with neighbouring countries to prevent the recruitment of children by armed groups. And for that purpose, my country has strengthened its early identification mechanism of refugee children or unaccompanied minors in the southern region in cooperation with the UNHCR and UNICEF to guarantee their immediate protection and family reintegration. To conclude, Otogo reiterates its appeal for for increased financing of sustainable reintegration programs and to enhance good practice sharing between states.

Thank you very much. Thank you. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malawi.

I then give the floor to the distinguished representative of Indonesia.

Mr. President, we remain concerned about the continued rise in grave violation against children in armed conflict. The alarming increase in killing and recruitment of children, attack on schools and hospitals, sexual violence and denial of humanitarian access demonstrate that children continue to bear the heaviest burden at war. The tragedy is particularly evident in Gaza where more than 21,000 children have been killed since October 2023 and 44,000 have been injured. We condemn the killing of children in recent attacks against a girls school in Minaab that reportedly claimed hundreds of innocent lives. These attacks must be subject to prompt and thorough investigation and accountability must be answered.

These developments underscore the peaceful consequences of armed conflict on children and the urgent need for stronger protection by the international community. Indonesia therefore believes that urgent steps toward the escalation of armed conflict are essential to fully protect children's rights, promote a safe environment and ensure the access of essential accesses. Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children in armed conflicts and ensuring that their rights remain central to international peace and security efforts. Thank you. Thank you.

I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Iran.

Thank you, Mr. Vice President. The world is witnessing horrifying scene of massacre and the killing of children during conflicts. Even worse, a media driven campaign is underway to erase these atrocities from memory and normalize violence against the most innocent victims. This campaign, which reached its climax in Gaza and continues today in Tehran, if met with silence, will have to will have no conceivable end.

What do the recent attacks by Israel and the United States on 65 schools in Iran signify? It means that on average 6,500 students were at risk, either losing their lives or enduring trauma that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. The Most bitter and violent example is the attack on the girls school in Minap in south of Iran where In broad daylight 168 innocent children were massacred. Madam Special Representative, the horrific attack on Mihrab school in Iran has pained every awakened conscience. We appreciate your prompt reaction as one of the mandates most relevant to this criminal incident.

We would like to hear from you on how can the perpetrators be held accountable and how can the horrific pattern of targeting girls by those in power, which may range from abuse to violent attacks, be prevented.

Thank you very much. Thank you. This was the last speaker we could accommodate for this dialogue and I now invite Ms. Frazier.

Sorry, I forgot to turn to the list of speakers for national human rights institution and non governmental organizations. So I give the floor to.

I give the floor to Ukraine. Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Intervention by Video

Representative and participants of the dialogue. The Russian Federation is systematically and brutally killing and maiming Ukrainian children. Since the start of the full scale invasion, about 680 children have been killed, more than 2,350 injured and at least 23 cases of sexual violence. Documented children's rights to education and healthcare are also gravely violated.

Since 2014, the Aggressor State has systematically deported Ukrainian children by forcibly erasing their identity. It is committing genocide against the Ukrainian people. At least 210 locations where deported children are held have been identified. In all of them, so called re education is conducted through cultural, patriotic and military propaganda, including military training and combat exercises. For this reason I call for facilitating the immediate return of all unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children, ensuring that Russia provides full and accurate information on their whereabouts and personal data, holding all those responsible for these crimes to account.

Recognizing Russia's actions as genocide against the Ukrainian people, immediate action is imperative.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the State of Palestine. Independent Commission for Human Rights Intervention by Video the Independent Commission for Human Rights welcomes the findings of the special representative of the Secretary the General. We draw the Council's urgent attention to the catastrophic situation of Palestinian children in the occupied Palestinian territory, particularly in the Gaza Strip. Over the past two years, at least 18,000 children have been killed.

Thousands more have suffered permanent injuries, forced displacement and the loss of their families. Schools have been destroyed and children have been deliberately deprived of food, water, healthcare and humanitarian assistance. These grave violations are directly linked to the prolonged illegal occupation and to military policies based on excessive force and collective punishment. These violations persist in the absence of accountability, undermining the credibility of international child protection mechanisms. Accordingly, the Independent Commission calls on the Human Rights Council and all Member States to take concrete, immediate and effective measures to ensure accountability, including international criminal accountability and upholding their obligations under international law to prevent, investigate and prosecute grave violations against children.

Protecting Palestinian children is not optional. It is an urgent international legal obligation. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative from accept international.

Mr. Vice President, for nearly 15 years we accept International have been working in countries and legends heavily affected by armed conflict, supporting the disengagement, rehabilitation and reintegration of young individuals who are will have been associated with non state armed groups. Through this work, we have witnessed that reality that is often overlooked. Not a few of these young individuals were first recruited as child soldiers. Once they turn 18, they fall outside child protection frameworks. As a result, many young people face significant human rights issues.

Effort to address children in armed conflict remain urgent and indispensable. At the same time, we must recognize that the issue of children in armed conflict is closely and inseparably linked to the issue of youth in armed concrete. In particular, youth associated with North Haid armed groups face serious human rights violations throughout the process, from recruitment and association to disengagement and reintegration. We therefore respectively call upon this Council to broaden the scope to also use in ARM the concrete. Greater focus on the human rights challenges faced by using ARM the concrete along with true stronger effort to promote disengagement and reintegration is now needed.

I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative from Physicians for human rights.

Mr. President, Physicians for Human Rights expresses our concern for the scale and severity of grave violations committed against children in situations of conflict as documented in the Special Representatives Report. Report In Ethiopia, we have documented conflict related sexual and reproductive violence, including multiple perpetrator rape and forced witnessing impacting children in the Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions. For these reasons, we urge the Special Representative to advocate for Ethiopia to be listed as a situation of concern to mandate reporting to the Security Council and Human Rights Council in Gaza.

PHR has also documented how attacks on health facilities and arbitrary and cruel restrictions on humanitarian aid, including medical supplies and food, have led to death and health harms for children and newborns. We urge the Special Representative and the Human Rights Council to prioritize documentation and accountability for crimes against children, including through mandate positions and trauma, informed expertise within human rights investigative teams, dedicated funding streams and ongoing support at the state, regional and international level. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative from Defence for Children International.

Mr. Vice President, Defence for Children International welcomes the annual report of the Special representative of the Secretary General of Children and Armed Conflict. Over almost three decades, this mandate has played a critical role in documenting grave violations, advancing accountability and mobilizing international action to better protect children affected by war. Yet the plight of children in conflict is deteriorating across the world. Child rights violations during armed conflict are increasing and children are increasingly becoming direct victims of hostilities. Killing and maiming, recruitment and use, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, abduction and the denial of humanitarian access continue to affect children in alarming and unprecedented levels.

This trend underscores the urgent need for renewed commitment by Member States. International humanitarian law, including the special protections afforded to children during armed conflict, must be fully respected and implemented and their safety must never be subordinated to military objectives. We therefore call on all Member States to strengthen accountability for grave violations against children, including through national and international accountability mechanisms, guarantees, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access so that life saving assistance and protection services can reach children and families and continue to support and reinforce the children conflict mandate, including the monitoring and reporting mechanism that has been instrumental in documenting violations for over the past 30 years. I thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the to VIVAT International for a joint statement.

Mr. Vice President, Vivat International and partner NGOs alarmed the UN of the gross children's rights violations in Tanzania's Yorugusu refugee camp. Recently, Burundian refugees were forcibly displaced from their homes without adequate alternatives, especially during inclement weather conditions. Such actions perpetrated by the authorities continue to pose risks to the vulnerable population, especially the children, the elderly and the chronically ill. These children displaced by armed conflicts suffer unspeakable violence, including sexual abuse and mistreatment. Madam Representative, the world cannot turn a blind eye to the plights of these children and their families.

The right to safety, housing and humane treatment must define our human rights pursuits. The international community should hold Tanzanian government accountable for these actions and should pressurize them to cease further evictions and adhere to their obligations under international law. We urge the UN to be decisive in sending a fact finding mission to Yaragusta to ensure that the voices and concerns of these oppressed people are both heard and addressed. Thank you.

Thank you. I now give the floor to the representative from the Friends World Committee for consultation.

Thank you. Chair. The Quaker United nations office thanks the special representative for her report.

Because no child should be recruited or used in armed conflicts, we are deeply concerned these violations persist, often alongside other grave violations. For many children, conflicts are not temporary disruptions. It shapes the conditions of their lives, their present and future. We were reminded of a story shared by the UNHCR of a child from Syria who like many others grew up in prolonged insecurity without stable care. This left him exposure opposed to recruitment.

Armed groups came to represent something that would otherwise be missing for him belonging, purpose, identity and means of survival. Although this story was shared in 2018, the recruitment and use of children remain widespread today in many countries. It reflects a deeply concerning reality. When children don't receive what they need from families, communities or institutions, armed groups fill the vacuum. In such context, recruitment is not only about coercion, it's about the environment in which they live.

Across settings we continue to see repeated attacks on civilians, infrastructure disruption of basic services and humanitarian relief and limited protection. If these conditions remain unchanged, the outcomes will remain the same. In that regard, we would like to ask you highlight engagement that has led to the release and reintegration of children.