February 12, was he International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. This day was initiated in 2002 when the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict entered into force on February 12, 2002. The protocol was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in May 2000 and has been ratified by 159 states.
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Yoka Brandt called on ensuring that children are kept away from armed violence, including through education and economic support. Tens of thousands of boys and girls are associated with armed forces and armed groups in conflicts and situations of armed violence in over 20 countries around the world. Many have been victims of, witness to and forced participants in acts of unspeakable brutality.
UNICEF works with governments and partners to prevent the involvement of children in armed conflict or violence. This includes reuniting them with their families and providing them with health care, basic necessities and psychological support as well as access to education and training programmes.
In Lebanon, whilst we are not in a situation of armed conflict nevertheless there are increasing concerns around the engagement of children in armed violence. Children have been and still are affected by escalations of armed violence or live as refugees after fleeing armed conflicts in neighbouring countries. Some of them have been manipulated, exploited or pressured by armed groups, by their own community or by circumstances to actively participate in hostilities either to fight or to support armed parties in other equally dangerous ways.
This results in their basic rights being denied, sometimes with long-term psychological and physical consequences, in addition to affecting peace and security in the country.
Although the Optional Protocol on Children and Armed Conflict remains to be ratified in Lebanon since its signing in 2002, the Government of Lebanon has been taking the lead in the prevention and protection of children associated with armed violence.
Recent legislations regarding the protection of children, have clarified that children associated with armed violence are at high risk with rights for special protection.
A milestone was reached in August 2014, when the Minister of Social Affairs endorsed a work plan to prevent and respond to the association of children with armed violence in Lebanon. The plan being implemented was jointly developed with representatives from the civil society and the UN Activities include awareness raising among children and communities, building capacity of service providers and security forces to better respond to children formerly involved in armed violence, and advocacy to strengthen institutional and community commitment and engagement to address this issue.
It is a UNICEF priority to increasingly support the Government and civil society in Lebanon to respond to the needs of children affected by armed violence, to ensure their right to be protected and to access learning opportunities.
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Yoka Brandt called on ensuring that children are kept away from armed violence, including through education and economic support. Tens of thousands of boys and girls are associated with armed forces and armed groups in conflicts and situations of armed violence in over 20 countries around the world. Many have been victims of, witness to and forced participants in acts of unspeakable brutality.
UNICEF works with governments and partners to prevent the involvement of children in armed conflict or violence. This includes reuniting them with their families and providing them with health care, basic necessities and psychological support as well as access to education and training programmes.
In Lebanon, whilst we are not in a situation of armed conflict nevertheless there are increasing concerns around the engagement of children in armed violence. Children have been and still are affected by escalations of armed violence or live as refugees after fleeing armed conflicts in neighbouring countries. Some of them have been manipulated, exploited or pressured by armed groups, by their own community or by circumstances to actively participate in hostilities either to fight or to support armed parties in other equally dangerous ways.
This results in their basic rights being denied, sometimes with long-term psychological and physical consequences, in addition to affecting peace and security in the country.
Although the Optional Protocol on Children and Armed Conflict remains to be ratified in Lebanon since its signing in 2002, the Government of Lebanon has been taking the lead in the prevention and protection of children associated with armed violence.
Recent legislations regarding the protection of children, have clarified that children associated with armed violence are at high risk with rights for special protection.
A milestone was reached in August 2014, when the Minister of Social Affairs endorsed a work plan to prevent and respond to the association of children with armed violence in Lebanon. The plan being implemented was jointly developed with representatives from the civil society and the UN Activities include awareness raising among children and communities, building capacity of service providers and security forces to better respond to children formerly involved in armed violence, and advocacy to strengthen institutional and community commitment and engagement to address this issue.
It is a UNICEF priority to increasingly support the Government and civil society in Lebanon to respond to the needs of children affected by armed violence, to ensure their right to be protected and to access learning opportunities.
No comments:
Post a Comment