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18 October 1999
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European Conference on the use of children as soldiers,
Berlin 18-20 October 1999
Convened by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
Hosted by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Video message by Mary Robinson,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak to you of this matter – a subject which is very dear to my heart – even if I cannot be with you in person.
I would like to congratulate the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers for taking the initiative to organize this conference, along with the preceding regional conferences in Africa and Latin America. I also warmly thank the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs for hosting this European conference.
In this 10th anniversary year of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, your gathering in Berlin is recognition of some of the worst violations of children’s rights, which continue to occur.
A fortnight ago my office organised a meeting in Geneva to mark the 10th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to focus on the achievements and challenges facing its implementation. The situation of children in armed conflicts in general, and the use of child soldiers in particular, is without doubt one of the most serious challenges to the Convention.
We know that more than 2 million children have been killed in situations of armed conflict since 1987, and 6 million have been seriously injured or permanently disabled. Research carried out by the Coalition tells us that more than 300,000 children are fighting in 36 armed conflicts around the world - many of them kidnapped or coerced into service. It would be nearly impossible to count the numbers whose lives have been otherwise affected by armed conflict.
The human rights violations that occur when children are used in hostilities are not limited to children killing and being killed or injured. Girls, also used as soldiers, have been victims of rape and other sexual abuse. The human rights impacts of the use of child soldiers are terrible and far-reaching, and include: torture, sexual exploitation, ill-treatment, exposure to health hazards, separation from family, drug and alcohol abuse, and denial of the rights to health care and education. These human rights violations have an impact not only on those children directly concerned but also on their families and communities, and continue long after the hostilities themselves have ended.
We must call attention to the widespread violations of fundamental human rights in regard to children and armed conflicts. We all have to work to implement existing legal standards and to demobilise, rehabilitate and reintegrate children who have taken part in armed conflicts.
In this regard I wish to congratulate the Coalition for its invaluable work in drawing attention to these problems and creating the motivation for change. Other initiatives, such as the Action for the Rights of Children (ARC) project led by the International Save the Children Alliance and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - and in which my office also participates – represent fundamental steps towards implementing existing human rights standards in the field. Many NGOs are also working tirelessly in the field, and lobbying governments and others to strenghten the protection of children’s rights. The International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF and the Special Representative of the Secretary General on children and Armed Conflict – Mr Olara Otunnu - play a crucial role in improving the situation of children in armed conflict.
In the last year or so, we have seen progress in strengthening the legal framework. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court makes the use of child soldiers a war crime - although only below 15 years of age. The International Labour Organisation´s new Convention no 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, while only applying to forced recruitment, nevertheless prohibits and acknowledges child soldiering, below the age of 18, as one of the worst forms of child labour. The Security Council adopted resolution 1261 in August, and held two special sessions on children in armed conflict. All have signaled that the international Community will no longer tolerate the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.
As you know, one of the most controversial issues during the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, was the question of the minimum age at which children could be recruited and participate in hostilities. Unfortunately, the final result, reflected in Article 38 of the Convention, set 15 as the age limit, thereby allowing older children to be recruited and to take part in hostilities.
A Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights has been established to draft an Optional Protocol to the Convention raising the minimum age for recruitment and participation in hostilities. I believe the question here is not the difference between, 16, 17 and 18 years of age: the fundamental point is the distinction between children and adults. It is essential to ensure that any standards established by the United Nations are consistent in making this distinction.
This year’s Commission resolution 1999/80 on the Rights of the Child once again reaffirmed the urgent need to raise the minimum age limit set by the Convention.
The Secretary-General recently presented a report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict suggesting a number of measures which could be taken to increase attention on the plight of children. In connection with the Optional Protocol, he recommended that the Security Council “urge member States to support the proposal to raise the minimum age for recruitment and participation in hostilities to 18”.
I would also like to draw your attention to several other recommendations made by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the issue of child soldiers. Including:
- including that, not only States, but also rebel movements should not use children for conflict, or face targeted sanctions if they do;
- encouraging ratification of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court;
- arms embargoes should be imposed on parties to armed conflict which recruit child soldiers;
- peace agreements and the mandates of peacekeeping operations should include specific measures focusing on the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers.
There could be no better way of marking the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child than by implementing these recommendations.
I wish you all the best and a very successful conference.
Berlin 18-20 October 1999
Convened by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers
Hosted by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Video message by Mary Robinson,
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak to you of this matter – a subject which is very dear to my heart – even if I cannot be with you in person.
I would like to congratulate the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers for taking the initiative to organize this conference, along with the preceding regional conferences in Africa and Latin America. I also warmly thank the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs for hosting this European conference.
In this 10th anniversary year of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, your gathering in Berlin is recognition of some of the worst violations of children’s rights, which continue to occur.
A fortnight ago my office organised a meeting in Geneva to mark the 10th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to focus on the achievements and challenges facing its implementation. The situation of children in armed conflicts in general, and the use of child soldiers in particular, is without doubt one of the most serious challenges to the Convention.
We know that more than 2 million children have been killed in situations of armed conflict since 1987, and 6 million have been seriously injured or permanently disabled. Research carried out by the Coalition tells us that more than 300,000 children are fighting in 36 armed conflicts around the world - many of them kidnapped or coerced into service. It would be nearly impossible to count the numbers whose lives have been otherwise affected by armed conflict.
The human rights violations that occur when children are used in hostilities are not limited to children killing and being killed or injured. Girls, also used as soldiers, have been victims of rape and other sexual abuse. The human rights impacts of the use of child soldiers are terrible and far-reaching, and include: torture, sexual exploitation, ill-treatment, exposure to health hazards, separation from family, drug and alcohol abuse, and denial of the rights to health care and education. These human rights violations have an impact not only on those children directly concerned but also on their families and communities, and continue long after the hostilities themselves have ended.
We must call attention to the widespread violations of fundamental human rights in regard to children and armed conflicts. We all have to work to implement existing legal standards and to demobilise, rehabilitate and reintegrate children who have taken part in armed conflicts.
In this regard I wish to congratulate the Coalition for its invaluable work in drawing attention to these problems and creating the motivation for change. Other initiatives, such as the Action for the Rights of Children (ARC) project led by the International Save the Children Alliance and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees - and in which my office also participates – represent fundamental steps towards implementing existing human rights standards in the field. Many NGOs are also working tirelessly in the field, and lobbying governments and others to strenghten the protection of children’s rights. The International Committee of the Red Cross, UNICEF and the Special Representative of the Secretary General on children and Armed Conflict – Mr Olara Otunnu - play a crucial role in improving the situation of children in armed conflict.
In the last year or so, we have seen progress in strengthening the legal framework. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court makes the use of child soldiers a war crime - although only below 15 years of age. The International Labour Organisation´s new Convention no 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, while only applying to forced recruitment, nevertheless prohibits and acknowledges child soldiering, below the age of 18, as one of the worst forms of child labour. The Security Council adopted resolution 1261 in August, and held two special sessions on children in armed conflict. All have signaled that the international Community will no longer tolerate the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.
As you know, one of the most controversial issues during the drafting of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, was the question of the minimum age at which children could be recruited and participate in hostilities. Unfortunately, the final result, reflected in Article 38 of the Convention, set 15 as the age limit, thereby allowing older children to be recruited and to take part in hostilities.
A Working Group of the Commission on Human Rights has been established to draft an Optional Protocol to the Convention raising the minimum age for recruitment and participation in hostilities. I believe the question here is not the difference between, 16, 17 and 18 years of age: the fundamental point is the distinction between children and adults. It is essential to ensure that any standards established by the United Nations are consistent in making this distinction.
This year’s Commission resolution 1999/80 on the Rights of the Child once again reaffirmed the urgent need to raise the minimum age limit set by the Convention.
The Secretary-General recently presented a report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict suggesting a number of measures which could be taken to increase attention on the plight of children. In connection with the Optional Protocol, he recommended that the Security Council “urge member States to support the proposal to raise the minimum age for recruitment and participation in hostilities to 18”.
I would also like to draw your attention to several other recommendations made by the Secretary-General to the Security Council on the issue of child soldiers. Including:
- including that, not only States, but also rebel movements should not use children for conflict, or face targeted sanctions if they do;
- encouraging ratification of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court;
- arms embargoes should be imposed on parties to armed conflict which recruit child soldiers;
- peace agreements and the mandates of peacekeeping operations should include specific measures focusing on the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers.
There could be no better way of marking the 10th Anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child than by implementing these recommendations.
I wish you all the best and a very successful conference.