GIRL SOLDIERS – ABDUCTED & FORCED AS SOLDIERS & SEX SLAVES
Author: Womens UN Report Network
Date: February 5, 2006
CONFLICT, and such gender specific references as:
includes advocating for the ratification of the Optional Protocol on Children
Involved in Armed Conflict, supporting disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration programmes for children who are used by armed forces and groups,
and protecting children from violence, particularly sexual violence that
targets girls.”
[NEW YORK, 8 February 2006] – UNICEF today congratulated Radhika Coomaraswamy
on her appointment as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Children and Armed Conflict.
Ms. Coomaraswamy succeeds Olara Otunnu, who completed his term in July 2005.
Mr. Otunnu was the first person to serve as Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and was appointed one year
after the groundbreaking 1996 report by Graça Machel focused global attention on
the devastating impact of armed conflict on children.
“Ms. Coomaraswamy has a long record in defending the rights of women and
children,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Rima Salah. “UNICEF looks
forward to working closely with her to ensure that the pressing issue of
children being abused and exploited in armed conflict remains high on the global
agenda.”
A native of Sri Lanka, Ms. Coomaraswamy is an internationally known human
rights advocate. She is currently the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Human Rights
Commission and served most recently as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on
Violence against Women.
The chaos of conflict, including the breakdown of social services and
population displacement, leaves children extremely vulnerable to abuse and
exploitation. Girls are routinely targeted in campaigns of sexual violence and
exploitation. Hundreds of thousands of children are recruited and used by armed
forces and groups as combatants, messengers, spies, porters and cooks and for
sexual services.
The appointment comes at a critical juncture in the history of advocating for
the protection of these children. In 2005 the Security Council unanimously
adopted a landmark resolution that obligates the United Nations system to
establish a mechanism to monitor and report on grave violations of children’s
rights during war by both governments and armed groups.
Ensuring the resolution is enforced is critical to ending the impunity that
surrounds these egregious violations, which include the killing or maiming of
children; the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups;
attacks against schools or hospitals; rape and other forms of sexual violence;
the abduction of children; and denial of humanitarian access.
UNICEF’s work to protect children affected by armed conflict includes
advocating for the ratification of the Optional Protocol on Children Involved in
Armed Conflict, supporting disarmament, demobilization and reintegration
programmes for children who are used by armed forces and groups, and protecting
children from violence, particularly sexual violence that targets
girls.
on her appointment as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Children and Armed Conflict.
Mr. Otunnu was the first person to serve as Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and was appointed one year
after the groundbreaking 1996 report by Graça Machel focused global attention on
the devastating impact of armed conflict on children.
children,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Rima Salah. “UNICEF looks
forward to working closely with her to ensure that the pressing issue of
children being abused and exploited in armed conflict remains high on the global
agenda.”
rights advocate. She is currently the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Human Rights
Commission and served most recently as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on
Violence against Women.
population displacement, leaves children extremely vulnerable to abuse and
exploitation. Girls are routinely targeted in campaigns of sexual violence and
exploitation. Hundreds of thousands of children are recruited and used by armed
forces and groups as combatants, messengers, spies, porters and cooks and for
sexual services.
the protection of these children. In 2005 the Security Council unanimously
adopted a landmark resolution that obligates the United Nations system to
establish a mechanism to monitor and report on grave violations of children’s
rights during war by both governments and armed groups.
surrounds these egregious violations, which include the killing or maiming of
children; the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups;
attacks against schools or hospitals; rape and other forms of sexual violence;
the abduction of children; and denial of humanitarian access.
advocating for the ratification of the Optional Protocol on Children Involved in
Armed Conflict, supporting disarmament, demobilization and reintegration
programmes for children who are used by armed forces and groups, and protecting
children from violence, particularly sexual violence that targets
girls.
___________________________________________________________________________________
than 36 countries around the world, children are the innocent victims of armed
conflict. In these internecine wars, vast numbers of children have been maimed,
raped, or slaughtered in partisan conflicts. Many others have been displaced
from their homes and separated from their families. Children have been recruited
as Child Soldiers and exploited as cannon fodder.
Children have been cheated of the chance to go to school, to play in the fields,
and to be raised within a peaceful environment protected by elders.
Statistics
-
6 million children injured in the last decade due to war
- 2 million child deaths in the last decade due to war
-
13 million internally
Displaced Children -
300,000
Child Soldiers -
10,000 victims of
Landmines every year
- 10 million child refugees
______________________________________________________________________________________
GIRL SOLDIERS – ABDUCTED & FORCED AS SOLDIERS & SEX
SLAVES
Rights
Child
Slavery
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World armed groups ‘abduct girls’
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A “hidden A Save The Children report found more than 120,000 girls and young The charity says they often end up serving as soldiers or performing It urged world leaders to do more to stop “the war on children”. Figures released by Save The Children showed that around 6,500 girls In the Democratic Republic of Congo another 12,000 are believed to be A spokesman for the organisation said the study was not unique to any ‘Stop war on children’ The report also criticises world leaders and donors for failing to
It Often girls get only some food, water, oil, plastic sheeting for “Girls returning home are often marginalised and excluded from their “Girls returning pregnant or with babies face the additional pressure “With no other means of supporting themselves, many are forced to turn Save the Children told the story of Hawa, a 16-year-old girl, who was “It was very sad when I came home and met my sisters because I felt Director general of Save the Children Mike Aaronson said: “When people “This appalling abuse of girls’ rights demands urgent action. Its time |
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