Arria Formula Meeting on “Addressing the Abduction and Deportation of Children During Armed Conflict
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL ARRIA FORMULA MEETING ON “ADDRESSING THE ABDUCTION AND DEPORTATION OF CHILDREN DURING ARMED CONFLICT: CONCRETE STEPS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND PREVENTION”
Today’s Arria-formula meeting on children, which happens to be the second of such meetings held this month, indicates the international community’s shared commitment to protect the rights and well-being of children. Therefore, let me thank Albania, France and the United States of America for convening this meeting to raise awareness about abduction and deportation of children during armed conflict. My delegation has listened carefully to the perspectives shared by the briefers on the subject.
Mr. Chair,
As evidenced in the 2022 report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-Children for Children and Armed Conflict, the dramatic rise of incidents of abduction and deportation of children around the world is a scourge which cannot be ignored. Ghana is deeply concerned that these abductions and deportations of innocent children who have been caught up in armed conflict may expose them to incomprehensible levels of human rights violations and brutal treatment. In fact, the detrimental impact resulting from separating these abducted children from their parents, legal guardians or significant caregivers, as the case may be, is worrying. Undisputedly, these innocent children require special attention and protection.
Permit me to reiterate that in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international child protection instruments, all Member States should commit to take all appropriate national, bilateral and multilateral measures to prevent the abduction, sale and trafficking of children for any purpose or in any form. In this vein, my delegation urges all state and non-state actors to release abducted children and end further violations of their rights. We must work together to implement these conventions and resolutions that seek to protect children from harm at all times.
Mr. Chair,
You will agree that we owe it to abducted and deported children around the world to bring to justice perpetrators of grave violations committed against them. My delegation, therefore, wishes to call on concerned States to thoroughly investigate and hold all those responsible fully accountable for their actions through national and international justice mechanisms to end the cycle of violence and impunity. Indeed, the call for Member States to ensure that victims have access to reparation and the call for increased compliance with international humanitarian, human rights and child protection laws would be in the right direction.
Furthermore, in addressing the abduction and deportation of children in conflict zones, we believe it is absolutely necessary that Member States provide protection and assistance to affected children, including by providing access to safe places, physical and psychological support and family tracing and reunification services.
We cannot deny that implementing the recommendations we all proffer in this meeting must be accompanied by financial support, which is highly required to strengthen the monitoring and reporting mechanisms on the growing number of violations against children. We need to provide support to UNICEF, UN Missions and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on r Children and Armed Conflict for their work and extensive global advocacy on children. Ghana believes that investing in the CAAC agenda is investing in children’s future and protecting our future societies.
In concluding, permit me to state that although addressing abduction, forced deportation, and all other forms of grave violations against children is important, it is certainly not the complete solution to ending the pain and trauma of children in all conflict regions. My delegation remains convinced that only the cessation of armed conflict by all parties to ensure sustainable global peace and security can heal the wounds of war inflicted on children.
I thank you for your attention.