PRESS RELEASE : More must be done to prevent grave violations against children – UK Statement at the UN Security Council [February 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 February 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council briefing on children in armed conflict.

I would like to thank the Government of Malta for convening us today and congratulate you on taking up the chair of the CAAC Working Group. We look forward to working closely together. I also thank our briefers today for their powerful contributions.

The international community must do more to prevent grave violations against children. In countries like Ukraine, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, children are experiencing the horrors of war and conflict. And when violations do occur, we must act robustly to ensure children get the support required. In this regard I want to make the following three points.

First, we must ensure that existing UN mechanisms are able to work effectively. The Children and Armed Conflict Working Group and the work of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict are critical pillars of the Council’s architecture for addressing these violations and we urge all member states to engage constructively and collaboratively with both.

Second, the United Kingdom is concerned by the dramatic rise of conflict-related sexual violence globally, with a 20 percent recorded increase in the Secretary-Generals 2022 CAAC Report. Last November, the United Kingdom launched the Platform for Action Promoting the Rights and Wellbeing of Children Born of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. Along with key partners and Special Representative Gamba, the UK has committed to taking action under this Platform. This includes the deployment of UK expertise to support the Democratic Republic of the Congo in conducting a national review of laws, policies and practices. We believe these actions will help change the lives of tens of thousands of children.

Third, and finally, the United Kingdom is exploring all levers, including sanctions, to deter perpetrators of conflict related sexual violence. We have already announced a sanctions package which included six targets in Mali, Myanmar and South Sudan who were designated for their involvement in sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.

President, the international community must send a clear message that violations against children are intolerable. The United Kingdom is committed to playing its part in that cause.

Thank you.