1 in 4 children in conflict zone: UN

United Nations, July 10: A quarter of the world’s children — about 535 million — are living in a country affected by conflict or disaster, the head of the UN children’s agency said on Monday.

Henrietta Fore told a Security Council meeting on children and armed conflict that it is “almost beyond comprehension” that one of every four young people are caught in that situation.

She pointed to children and young people whose lives are being shattered by conflicts, including in Yemen, Mali and South Sudan. She also cited youngsters recruited to fight, killed by a land mine or an attack on their school, and “losing hope not only in their futures, but in the futures of their countries.”

Sweden, which holds the Security Council presidency this month, organised the open meeting on the theme “Protecting Children Today Prevents Conflict Tomorrow” and sponsored a resolution unanimously adopted by the 15 members to strengthen UN actions to ensure safety of youth.

“We are not doing nearly enough to protect our children,” Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who presided at the meeting, said, stressing that “350 million children are affected by armed conflict today.” The resolution states for the first time that children recruited or caught up in armed conflict should be treated primarily as victims, he said.

It urges all countries “to consider non- judicial measures as alternatives to prosecution and detention that focus on rehabilitation and reintegration for children formerly associated with armed forces and armed groups.”