Security Council Holds Open Debate on Violations of Children’s Rights in Armed Conflicts
New York – The United Nations Security Council will hold its annual open debate on Wednesday focusing on violations of the rights of children during armed conflicts.
Virginia Gamba, the UN special representative for children and armed conflict, is scheduled to present the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict, released on June 17. Sheema SenGupta, director of child protection and migration at the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), will also speak during the meeting, which will be chaired by Vindhya Persaud, Guyana’s minister of human services and social security.
Guyana, which holds the Security Council presidency for the month of June, circulated a concept note stating that this year’s debate will center on the theme: “Effective strategies to end and prevent grave violations against children.”
The note suggests that discussions focus on combating killings and maiming of children, particularly as a result of explosive munitions and weapons used in populated areas, as well as on the long-term consequences of explosive remnants of war (ERW) and sexual violence against children.
The Secretary-General’s report, covering the period from January to December 2024, highlights that violence against children in armed conflict situations reached “unprecedented levels” in 2024. The UN verified a total of 41,370 grave violations, of which 36,221 occurred in 2024, while 5,149 were committed earlier but verified during the same year.
In light of the upcoming 20th anniversary of Resolution 1612, adopted on July 26, 2005, which established the monitoring and reporting mechanism and the working group on children and armed conflict, Wednesday’s meeting will also provide an opportunity for participants to reflect on the achievements and challenges of the UN’s children and armed conflict agenda.
