CONFLICTS IN SYRIA, MALI POSE UNPRECEDENTED THREATS TO CHILDREN – UN REPORT

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Subject: CONFLICTS IN SYRIA, MALI POSE UNPRECEDENTED THREATS TO
CHILDREN – UN REPORT
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CONFLICTS IN SYRIA, MALI POSE UNPRECEDENTED THREATS TO CHILDREN – UN
REPORTNew York, Jun 12 2013 6:00PMDespite progress to protect
children living in war-affected countries, the evolving character and
tactics of conflict are creating unprecedented threats for children,
particularly in Syria, Mali and the Central African Republic, a top
United Nations envoy today said.

Briefing reporters in New York on Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's
latest report on children and armed conflict, his Special
Representative on the issue, Leila Zerrougui, said: "In 2012, we have
seen positive developments in some areas of the world, but also
extremely worrying situations in places such as Syria, Mali and
Central African Republic."

The report reviews situations in these and 18 other countries, as well
as the regional conflict involving the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
whose activities impact children in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Central African Republic and South Sudan.

The report also "names and shames" parties that engage in the
recruitment and use of children, sexual violence against children, the
killing and maiming of children in contravention of international law,
recurrent attacks on schools and/or hospitals or recurrent attacks or
threats of attack against protected personnel.

This year, the list includes 55 armed forces and groups from 14
countries, including 11 new parties in Central African Republic, DRC,
Mali and Syria.

Two countries previously listed – Nepal and Sri Lanka – have been
removed this year. In addition, new action plans have been signed with
the DRC, Myanmar, Somalia and South Sudan, as roadmaps to potential
delisting.

On Syria, Mr. Ban said in his annual report that the toll the conflict
is taking on children is "unacceptable and unbearable," and urging
immediate measures to protect the lives and dignity of all children.

"I urge the Government immediately to cease bombardments of civilian
areas," Mr. Ban said in his report. "The Government should be held
responsible for all grave violations committed by groups affiliated to
it."

"The use of terror tactics against the civilian population can also
not be tolerated. In this regard, I urge all armed opposition groups
to put an immediate end to these acts that cost the lives of children
in the Syrian Arab Republic and to end the recruitment of children,"
he stressed.

The office of the Special Representative received throughout 2012
verified reports that Syrian children are killed or injured in
indiscriminate bombings, shot by snipers, used as human shields or
victims of terror tactics, according to a news release from the
office.

The report cites instances of children being detained and mistreated,
including boys as young as 10 years of age recruited by armed groups
to work as combatants, porters, messengers and to perform other
support tasks.

"What we would like to do is to see these stop," Ms. Zerrougui told
the press. "We would like to see parties take their responsibility to
respect the standards that govern war and to ensure that children are
not paying such a high price and to preserve the lives of civilians in
general and children in particular."

The UN has also cited instances of schools in Syria under attack and
limited access to lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

"Everyone involved in the conflict needs to take urgent measures to
protect children," Ms. Zerrougui said. "Allowing access for lifesaving
humanitarian assistance is essential. We cannot allow innocent
children to continue to die because they can't see a doctor, or
because they can't fulfil their basic needs."

In the press conference, the Special Representative said she plans to
travel to the region later this month to follow-up on her visit last
December. The visit will also include stops in Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon,
Turkey and Syria.

Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) today
<"http://www.unicef.org/media/media_69614.html">reiterated that all
parties to armed conflict must do everything to ensure the safety of
children and the protection of their rights.

In particular, the UN agency noted as "horrific" the continuing trend
of schools being attacked and used for military purposes, including
car and other bombs detonated near schools.

"In conflict, schools must be seen by children, parents and families
as protected safe havens where children can learn and grow to their
full potential, while benefiting from a sense of normalcy in a context
that is anything but normal for children," UNICEF said.

A reported 167 education personnel, including 69 teachers, were killed
up to the end of February 2013 and 2,445 schools are reported damaged,
the UN agency noted, adding that in some areas, children have not been
to school in over 18 months.

In Mali, where children are more than half of the population, the UN
cited instances of children "severely affected" by the conflict –
killed, injured, as well as sexually assaulted and recruited by armed
groups operating in the northern part of the country.

"The serious deterioration of the security situation in Mali in 2012
was characterized by a large number of grave violations against
children by various armed groups," according to Secretary-General
Ban's report.

Hundreds of children, mainly boys between 12 and 15 years of age, were
enlisted during the reporting period, mainly to man checkpoints and
conduct patrols, while others joined out of poverty and religious
affiliations.

The UN also received and looked into reports of sexual violence
against girls which are believed to have been "widespread and
systematic in northern Mali" since January 2012. At least 211 girls
were raped, forced to marry or otherwise sexually abused.

Among other points related to Mali, there are dozens of reports of
children being killed or maimed by weapons, mines and explosive
remnants of war during the French and Malian military campaign
initiated in January 2013, including during aerial bombardments.

"I am working to make sure that the deployment of a peacekeeping
mission, in conjunction with the work of UN agencies and partners
already on the ground, will allow us to improve our collective
response to children's needs," Ms. Zerrougui said in the news release
in reference to the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization
Mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA.

Meanwhile, in the Central African Republic (CAR), while the reporting
period saw an overall decrease in the occurrence of grave violations
against children, "all progress made earlier in the year has been
erased" due to fighting resumed in December 2012 between the
Government and the Séléka coalition, Ms. Zerrougui said.

"The United Nations received alarming reports continuing into 2013 of
recruitment and use of children by armed groups and pro-Government
militias, killing of children associated with those groups in the
course of military operations and sexual violence against children by
armed groups," the report noted.

Although these developments do not fall within the reporting period,
the progress achieved and the violations committed in 2012 need to be
placed against the backdrop of the recent deterioration of the
security situation, it further noted.

In addition to the Séléka coalition, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
was also responsible for a series of abuses against children,
including the majority of the at least 41 cases of recruitment of
children.

Ms. Zerrougui said that half of the country's schools are closed and
access to humanitarian assistance is extremely limited due. More than
2 million children do not currently have access to basic services.

In her presentation today, the Special Envoy highlighted the
importance of developing pa
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