Millions live in conflict zones

UNITED NATIONS — Some 250 million children live in countries affected by conflict, SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres told the U.N. Security Council this week.

And he said 2018 saw more than 12,000 children killed or injured as a result of those conflicts, the highest number since 1996.

Speaking on the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, the U.N. chief said children below age 18 “constitute more than 50% of the population of most countries affected by war, and are among the most vulnerable, unable to protect themselves from its impact.”

Guterres said more than 24,000 violations against children were documented and verified in 2018, up from 21,000 in 2017.

He said global campaigns, including “Children, Not Soldiers” and the new “Act to Protect” have helped get out the message that children should never be used in conflict, but the figures continue to rise.

The secretarygeneral urged all countries to take “concrete actions” to make the protection of children affected by conflict a priority.

The Security Council approved a presidential statement launching new guidance for mediators that aims to ensure that children’s needs and rights are considered during all phases of conflict — from prevention to mediation, peace negotiations and postconflict recovery.

Jo Becker, addressing the council on behalf of the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, which is a global network of organizations devoted to protecting the rights of these children, said that “in reality, peace agreements that address child protection are still rare.”

She said the Watchlist conducted an analysis of ceasefire and peace agreements going back to 1999, and “of 445 documents, fewer than 18% included child protection provisions.”