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S-G report Children and Armed Conflict



Children and armed conflict: Report of the Secretary-General
(S/2000/712-A/55/150)

via Reliefweb
http://wwww.reliefweb.int/w/Rwb.nsf/s/AB0CD24BB02F306F85256926007A9E5C

Dear all

Three points from the Secretary-General's report on Children and armed
conflict (19 July 2000).

1) There is a section (F) on 'Protecting children from the impact of
sanctions' which mentions Iraq (the entire section is reproduced below):

'Hundreds of thousands of children suffer the unintended consequences of
blunt sanctions imposed on Governments or armed opposition groups...  The
suffering of Iraqi children, as reported by UNICEF, and of children in the
Balkans are troubling cases in point. '

2) Please note also the following paragraph:

'66. One of the greatest challenges a country faces after war is the "crisis
of young people" - the desperate conditions of very young children and
adolescents. The prospects for recovery in many places will depend largely
on ensuring a role for young people in the rebuilding process, on
rehabilitating young people affected by the conflict, and on restoring a
renewed sense of hope.'

3) Interestingly, there is also reference to a UN project entitled 'Voices
of children', creating radio programmes for and by children in war-ravaged
areas.

Entire sanctions-related section

Children and armed conflict: Report of the Secretary-General
(S/2000/712-A/55/150)

F. Protecting children from the impact of sanctions

25. Hundreds of thousands of children suffer the unintended consequences of
blunt sanctions imposed on Governments or armed opposition groups. The
potential long-term benefits of sanctions should be weighed against the
immediate and long-term costs to children, including the collapse of health
and education infrastructures, reduced economic opportunities, increased
child labour in informal sectors and increased infant morbidity and
mortality. The suffering of Iraqi children, as reported by UNICEF, and of
children in the Balkans are troubling cases in point. My Special
Representative for Children and Armed Conflict and others actively canvassed
for the suspension of regional sanctions against Burundi, in view of their
disproportionately negative impact on children and families.

26. The Security Council has repeatedly signalled its willingness to
consider the humanitarian impact of sanctions on vulnerable groups,
including children, in a systematic and consistent manner. A number of
studies have been undertaken recently by the United Nations system,
Governments and private research centres aimed at designing more targeted,
"smarter" sanctions.

27. While important, these studies have not directly focused on the impact
of sanctions regimes on children. The Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs has recently reconvened the Inter-Agency Standing
Committee reference group on humanitarian consequences of sanctions. This
group will undertake and/or coordinate field assessments to monitor and
evaluate the humanitarian implications of sanctions and to make available
timely and comprehensive information on the impact of these coercive
measures. I will encourage the active participation of UNICEF and the Office
of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict in these
assessment missions. This will enable the Secretariat to provide the
Security Council with better information on child-relevant aspects of
sanctions and with more informed recommendations on humanitarian exemptions.

Recommendations
19. When imposing measures under Article 41 of the Charter, the Security
Council is urged to develop a coordinated and integrated approach to
minimize unintended consequences on civilian populations, especially
children, primarily through the establishment of effective humanitarian
exemptions. To this end, the Council could consider authorizing assessment
missions to the targeted States and neighbouring countries before sanctions
are imposed, with the aim of assessing the likely unintended consequences of
sanctions and proposing appropriate measures to minimize such consequences
and effective monitoring measures.

20. When adopting measures under Article 41 of the Charter, the Security
Council is urged to reaffirm the responsibility of targeted States and armed
groups to ensure the humanitarian protection of all those under their
control, particularly children.

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