{"id":5288,"date":"2025-07-02T19:08:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T19:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=5288"},"modified":"2025-07-02T19:08:02","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T19:08:02","slug":"unicef-world-is-failing-to-protect-children-from-the-horrors-of-war-director-tells-un-security-council","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeaglenews.co.in\/?p=5288","title":{"rendered":"UNICEF: \u201cWorld is Failing to Protect Children from the Horrors of War,\u201d Director Tells UN Security Council."},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

UNICEF: \u201cWorld is Failing to Protect Children from the Horrors of War,\u201d Director Tells UN Security Council.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

New York:<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The world is failing in its most basic duty to protect children from the horrors of armed conflict, UNICEF warned in a powerful address delivered at the United Nations Security Council Open Debate on \u201cChildren and Armed Conflict\u201d recently.<\/p>\n

Sheema Sen Gupta, Director of Child Protection at UNICEF, described a harrowing global crisis in which children continue to suffer at unprecedented levels from violence, exploitation, and neglect during wartime. Her speech came on the heels of the UN Secretary-General\u2019s latest annual report, which confirmed a record-breaking surge in grave violations against children in conflict<\/strong>\u2014a 25% increase from 2023, making it the highest total since the agenda was first launched.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cThousands of children killed and maimed. Thousands more recruited, abducted, raped, or denied humanitarian assistance,\u201d Gupta said. \u201cEach violation against children in every country around the globe represents a moral failure.\u201d<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Behind Every Number, a Child\u2019s Story<\/h3>\n

Gupta humanized the statistics with wrenching personal accounts: a 14-year-old girl raped in front of her mother in Sudan<\/strong>, six boys killed in Nigeria after unknowingly handling unexploded ordnance<\/strong>, and a 4-year-old girl in Gaza who lost her leg and entire immediate family<\/strong> when her house was bombed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are not just numbers. These are names, faces, and lives. Children who had hopes, dreams, and futures,\u201d Gupta told the chamber, her voice resolute.<\/p>\n

In 2024 alone, over 8,000 grave violations were verified in Israel and the State of Palestine<\/strong>, the highest number ever recorded in any country since the UN Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism was established two decades ago.<\/p>\n

Two Alarming Global Trends<\/h3>\n

The UNICEF official highlighted two deeply troubling patterns:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The increased use of explosive weapons in populated areas<\/strong>, now the leading cause of child casualties in conflict zones\u2014responsible for more than 70% of child deaths and injuries.<\/li>\n
  2. A dramatic rise in sexual violence against children<\/strong>, with verified cases increasing by 35% in 2024 alone.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo<\/strong>, nearly 10,000 cases of rape and sexual violence were reported in just the first two months of 2025, 40% involving children<\/strong>. In Haiti<\/strong>, hundreds of children were victims of gang rape by armed groups. Similar violations were documented in Somalia, Mali<\/strong>, and elsewhere.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cTo put it plainly: during this turbulent period, we estimated that a child was raped every thirty minutes,\u201d Gupta stated.<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    A Flicker of Hope Amidst Devastation<\/h3>\n

    Despite the bleak data, Gupta emphasized that progress is still possible. In 2024, more than 16,000 children were released from armed groups and received reintegration support<\/strong>. She cited positive developments in countries like Syria, Colombia, the Central African Republic, Iraq<\/strong>, and the Philippines<\/strong>, where governments and armed groups have taken steps to end violations.<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u201cThese examples remind us that where there is political will, progress is possible,\u201d she said.<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    UNICEF\u2019s Six-Point Call to Action<\/h3>\n

    Gupta concluded with a clear and urgent call for global action<\/strong>, urging member states to:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Demand compliance with international humanitarian law<\/strong> and end grave violations against children.<\/li>\n
    2. Halt the use of explosive weapons in populated areas<\/strong> and support relevant international treaties.<\/li>\n
    3. Protect and expand humanitarian access<\/strong>, noting that aid workers were killed in record numbers in 2024.<\/li>\n
    4. Facilitate engagement with non-State armed groups<\/strong> to improve child protection and secure humanitarian access.<\/li>\n
    5. Fund child protection efforts<\/strong>, as current budget cuts are crippling response capabilities.<\/li>\n
    6. Hold all states accountable<\/strong> for how their support\u2014military, financial, or political\u2014is used in conflict.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n

      \u201cChildren are not collateral damage. They are not soldiers. They are not bargaining chips. They are children,\u201d she said passionately. \u201cThey deserve to be safe. They deserve justice. They deserve a future.\u201d<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

      \u201cThis Cannot Be the New Normal\u201d<\/h3>\n

      Gupta\u2019s remarks serve as a stark reminder of the price children continue to pay in wars not of their making. As she appealed to the conscience of the Security Council, she warned that allowing such grave violations to go unchecked risks normalizing the abuse and destruction of young lives.<\/p>\n

      \n

      \u201cLet us act with urgency. Let us act with courage. And above all, let us act with the conviction that every child, no matter where they are, deserves to live in peace.\u201d<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n

      The Security Council\u2019s response remains to be seen. But UNICEF’s message was clear: the global community must do more\u2014urgently and decisively\u2014to protect the most vulnerable in times of war<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      UNICEF: \u201cWorld is Failing to Protect Children from the Horrors of War,\u201d Director Tells UN Security Council.\u00a0   New York:   The world is failing […]<\/p>\n

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