They need more than crisis response or humanitarian relief. As long as the flames of war remain ablaze, children shall forever be stuck in peril, terrified and wide open to harm. They are dogged by and languish in violence, displacement, poverty, and hunger. In conflict areas, millions of children wake up to the sound of guns and artillery on a daily basis. According to a relevant agency’s report released at the end of 2022, about 449 million children worldwide, or one in six, were living in a conflict zone in 2021. Earlier, SRSG M’jid mentioned in her briefing that conflicts have inflicted the greatest harm upon children. Prevention is the best protection, and the most definitive approach to prevention is to eliminate armed conflicts. In that connection, I wish to make three points.įirst, conflict prevention and resolution must be the primary and ultimate means of protection. The international community must swing into action and shore up defenses to shield them from harm, so that every child can, at a minimum, grow up healthily in an environment of peace and calm. There is little doubt that in the real world, more children are paying dearly for the conflicts. The 2022 report of the Secretary-General alone documents nearly 24,000 verified grave violations against children. In armed conflicts, children are the most innocent group and the most vulnerable victims. I thank Special Representative Virginia Gamba and Special Representative Najat Maalla M’jid for their briefings. I thank you for chairing today’s meeting.
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