MOSCOW, November 20 (Sputnik) – Children from countries affected by armed conflicts are most vulnerable as they go through a lot of suffering, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Leila Zerrougui said Thursday.
“Children continue to be killed, maimed, recruited and used by armed forces and armed groups, deprived of education and healthcare,” Zerrougui stated in the press release, adding that despite all efforts children remain most vulnerable in times of conflict.
The statement of the UN Representative is issued Thursday, as the world observes Universal Children's Day, timed to the adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the UN General Assembly.
The statement stressed that the protection of children had become especially complicated recently due to the extreme violence exercised by terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram and Islamic State.
“These groups use tactics that directly target children, with high risk of long term trauma,” the statement said, emphasizing that the number of deadly attacks on schools and hospitals are on the rise.
On November 20, 1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted. With 194 countries ratifying the document, it became one of the most significant human rights treaties in the world. The Convention grants children a range of fundamental rights, and ensures that the countries take feasible measures to protect children affected by armed conflicts.
