Remember what I said about Fahours fabulous friends from Sewer Arabia?
http://you-shit-me.blogspot.com.au/2016/05/ahmed-fahour-spreading-islam-sexually.html
Ahmed Fahour - spreading Islam, sexually mutilating children and murdering athiests, christians and jews
http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/712386
The Kingdom (of Sewer Arabia) has donated $1 million to the Islamic Museum in Australia (IMA). Presenting a check to Australian Foreign Minister Julie Joseph, Saudi Ambassador Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Saleh said the donation was given by the Saudi leadership in order to promote human values among nations in support of peaceful co-existence among all communities. Al-Saleh said that the Kingdom was interested in projecting the correct image of Islam.
The ceremony took place in Melbourne on the first anniversary of the Islamic Museum in Australia. In attendance were IMA President Ahmed Fahour and other distinguished guests.
Al-Saleh said the Saudi contribution would support the work of the museum in showing the characteristics of Islamic civilization and culture, which are characterized by diversity and are based on the principles of tolerance and peace.
The ambassador also appreciated the efforts of the Islamic Museum to expand to other states in Australia in order to spread its objectives.
Blah, blah, blah, blah...
And I go onto debunk the Abrahamaic religions - and kick these holey arse holes in their holey arses.
Well the shit trip about Sewer Arabia, and the "True Image of Islam" - continues.....
https://www.rt.com/uk/346094-saudi-arms-child-killer/
Armed by Britain: Saudi-led coalition on UN ‘child killer’ list

Britain faces condemnation for arming the Saudi-led coalition launching airstrikes in Yemen, which appeared on a UN blacklist of “child killers.” Until its removal under diplomatic pressure, it appeared alongside Islamic State, the Taliban and Boko Haram.
A UN report on children and conflict included the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, supported by the US and Britain, in a list of armed groups which commit crimes against juveniles.
However, just days after the report was released last week, the UN removed the coalition from the list as a result of “diplomatic pressure” and Saudi officials encouraging other coalition countries to “sever ties with the UN.”
The move has infuriated human rights groups, which accuse the UN of “shameful pandering” and succumbing to “political manipulation.”
But the UN’s concerns about children in Yemen remains clear in the original report, which highlights a “particularly worrisome escalation of conflict.”
Yemen has suffered a growing number of air attacks on schools and hospitals. Since 2014, there has also been a fivefold increase in the recruitment of child soldiers and a sixfold rise in those being maimed or killed, the report says.
At least 934 children have been killed in Yemen, and another 1,356 injured since 2014, according to UNICEF.
Kirsty McNeill, director of advocacy and campaigns at Save the Children, told investigative news platform the Ferret that the Saudi-led coalition is one of the world’s most violent non-state armed groups.
She says the British government must re-evaluate its diplomatic and military support to the coalition and suspend arms exports to Saudi Arabia.
“This is the first time an international military coalition has been included, and the Saudi coalition features on the list after just 15 months of fighting in Yemen due to the sheer volume and severity of child casualties and damage and destruction to schools and hospitals resulting from coalition airstrikes,” McNeill says.
Published on Jun 9, 2016
RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air
Douglas Chapman, a Scottish National Party (SNP) member of the Committee on Arms Export Controls at Westminster, says the evidence is clear war crimes have been committed by the Saudi-led coalition.
“That it joins the likes of notorious groups such as IS and Boko Haram is surely the wake-up call the West needs. The continuing reluctance to launch a comprehensive investigation into the reality of what’s happening in the region is shameful.”
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) also told the Ferret: “The UK’s unbending political and military support for Saudi Arabia has had a devastating impact on Yemen. Thousands have been killed by the bombing campaign, and it is civilians that are paying the price.
“There is growing consensus that the bombardment hasn’t just been immoral, it has also been illegal, and yet the UK government has steadfastly refused to support any kind of proper independent investigation.”
According to the UN, the removal of the coalition from the list is temporary while it reviews the report’s findings jointly with the Saudi Arabian authorities.
On Thursday UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said removing the coalition from the blacklist is “one of the most painful and difficult decisions I have had to make,” and that it raised “the very real prospect that millions of other children would suffer grievously.”
“Children already at risk in Palestine, South Sudan, Syria, Yemen and so many other places would fall further into despair,” he told reporters.
Others on the blacklist include Houthi rebels, named for attacking civilians and recruiting child soldiers in Yemen.
Crimes by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) continued to have a devastating impact on children, the UN says, including child soldier recruitment and the use of boys as executioners.
Boko Haram was listed after a rise in suicide attacks in Nigeria, including the deployment of 21 girls as suicide bombers in crowded public places.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
General Assembly
Security Council
A/70/836–S/2016/360
General Assembly
Seventieth session
Agenda item 68
Promotion and protection of the rights of children
Children and armed conflict
Report of the Secretary-General
General Assembly
Seventieth session
Agenda item 68
Promotion and protection of the rights of
children
Security Council
Seventy-first year
Children and armed conflict
Report of the Secretary-General
I. Introduction
1. The present report, which covers the period
from January to December 2015, is submitted pursuant to Security
Council resolution 2225 (2015). It highlights recent global trends
regarding the impact of armed conflict on children and provides
information on grave violations committed against children in 2015.
The main activities with regard to the implementation of relevant
Council resolutions and the conclusions of the Council Working Group
on Children and Armed Conflict are outlined. In line with the
resolutions of the Council, the annexes to the report include a list
of parties that engage in the recruitment and use of children, sexual
violence against children, the killing and maiming of children,
attacks on schools and/or hospitals and attacks or threats of attacks
against protected personnel,1 and the abduction of children.
2. All the information provided in the present
report and its annexes has been vetted for accuracy by the United
Nations. In situations in which the ability to obtain or
independently verify information is hampered by such factors as
insecurity or access restrictions, it is qualified as such. The
preparation of the report and its annexes involved broad
consultations within the United Nations, at Headquarters and in the
field, and with relevant Member States.
3. Pursuant to Security Council resolution 1612
(2005), and in identifying situations that fall within the scope of
her mandate, my Special Representative for Children and Armed
Conflict has adopted a pragmatic approach on the issue, with an
emphasis on humanitarian principles aimed at ensuring broad and
effective protection for children. Reference to a situation is not a
legal determination and reference to a non-State actor does not
affect its legal status.
II. Addressing the impact of armed conflict on
children
A. Trends and developments
4. Serious challenges for the protection of
children affected by armed conflict continued throughout 2015. The
impact on children of our collective failure to prevent and end
conflict is severe, and the present report highlights the increased
intensity of grave violations in a number of situations of armed
conflict. Those violations are directly related to the denigration of
the respect for international humanitarian and human rights law by
parties to conflict.
5. Protracted conflicts had a substantial impact
on children. In the Syrian Arab Republic, the five-year conflict has
caused the deaths of more than 250,000 people, including thousands of
children. In Afghanistan in 2015, the highest number of child
casualties was recorded since the United Nations began systematically
documenting civilian casualties in 2009. In Somalia, the situation
continued to be perilous, with an increase of 50 per cent in the
number of recorded violations against children compared with 2014,
with many hundreds of children recruited, used, killed and maimed. In
a most troubling example, in South Sudan, children were victims of
all six grave violations, in particular during brutal military
offensives against opposition forces.
6. In Yemen, a particularly worrisome escalation
of conflict has been seen. The United Nations verified a fivefold
increase in the number of children recruited in 2015 compared with
the previous year. This compounded a sixfold increase in the number
of children killed and maimed in the same period. These alarming
trends continued into early 2016.
7. Attacks on schools and hospitals were
prevalent in 2015, linked to the increasing use of air strikes and
explosive weapons in populated areas. Armed groups particularly
targeted girls’ access to education, although attacks on schools
and hospitals were also carried out by government forces. Member
States should consider, where necessary, changes in policies,
military procedures and legislation to protect schools and hospitals.
8. The proliferation of actors involved in armed
conflicts was a particular concern. Cross-border aerial operations
conducted by international coalitions or individual Member States,
especially in populated areas, resulted in highly complex
environments for the protection of children. Indiscriminate aerial
bombardments have hit medical and education facilities and crowded
markets, causing child casualties. The many actors involved in
hostilities posed challenges for monitoring and reporting and to the
efforts of the United Nations to engage with parties to conflict to
prevent child casualties.
9. In its resolution 2225 (2015), the Security
Council expressed grave concern regarding the abduction of children
in situations of armed conflict and requested those parties to armed
conflict that engaged in patterns of abduction of children to be
listed in the present report. Abductions continued to be perpetrated
on a wide scale by Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Islamic State in Iraq and
the Levant (ISIL) and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), with the
number significantly increasing in Afghanistan and South Sudan.
10. The reporting period was marked by most
disturbing cases of sexual exploitation and abuse committed by United
Nations peacekeepers and civilians and non-United Nations
international forces. Sexual exploitation and abuse by those
entrusted to protect civilians is particularly egregious. I have
initiated a robust response to allegations against United Nations
personnel, following the recommendations of the external independent
review panel on sexual exploitation and abuse by international
peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic. I am pleased
that the Security Council, through its resolution 2272 (2016),
endorsed my decision to repatriate military or police units when
there is credible evidence of widespread or systemic sexual
exploitation or abuse by those units and asked the United Nations to
gather and preserve evidence of incidents in peacekeeping operations.
The measures represent important steps in ensuring that there is
accountability for those who commit these atrocious acts.
11. Notwithstanding the significant concerns
relating to the protection of children affected by armed conflict,
progress has been made. The momentum generated by the “Children,
Not Soldiers” campaign remained strong. In particular, continued
commitment by Governments towards their action plans was demonstrated
in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar. The
Sudan, the only campaign country without a written commitment, in
March 2016 signed an action plan to end and prevent the recruitment
and use of children by its security forces. Information on progress
is included in the country-specific sections of the present report.
In the light of the upcoming final year of the campaign, my Special
Representative, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and
other stakeholders will increase their efforts to support the
implementation of actions plans in place with government forces.
12. There was also strong engagement with a
number of listed non-State armed groups. Engaging the plethora of
non-State armed groups in existence is complex, and a multifaceted
approach is necessary, taking into consideration the operational
environments. Political dialogue and peace and ceasefire negotiations
represent opportunities to reach out to parties to conflict regarding
the protection of children. The early consideration of children’s
protection needs in negotiations is vital, and engagement with
parties to conflict on issues such as the release and separation of
children can also provide a starting point for discussions. The
United Nations engaged strongly during the reporting period with
non-State armed groups, both inside and outside peace processes, from
the Central African Republic, Colombia, Mali, Myanmar, the
Philippines, South Sudan and the Sudan. Progress in this regard is
also reflected in the country sections of the present report.
B. Reducing the impact of violent extremism on
children
13. Children have been significantly affected by
violent extremism in recent years and were often the direct targets
of acts intended to cause maximum civilian casualties and terrorize
communities, including by depicting children as “executioners” or
forcing them to be suicide bombers. The distribution of violent
images and videos on social media placed the plight of children
caught in the middle of these conflicts at the forefront of the
world’s collective consciousness. Acts of violent extremism are
abhorrent and Member States have obligations to ensure that their
responses comply with international law to ensure that civilians are
protected from these groups. The Security Council has emphasized that
efforts to counter extreme violence must be carried out in full
compliance with international humanitarian law, human rights law and
refugee law.
14. It is noted herein that some military
responses against non-State armed groups perpetrating violent
extremism raised challenges for the protection of children. In some
cases, State-allied militia and vigilante groups have been mobilized
and used children in support roles or even as combatants. Children
caught in the middle of operations have been killed and maimed and
their homes and schools destroyed, raising concerns about compliance
with international law. When responding to violent extremism, Member
States should ensure that their rules of engagement take into account
that children may be living in areas under the control of armed
groups or may be used on front lines following their abduction or
recruitment.
15. As noted in my Plan of Action on Preventing
Violent Extremism (see A/70/674), dated 24 December 2015, purely
military and security approaches have not proved effective in
addressing violent extremism. Violent extremism does not occur in a
vacuum. It is necessary to identify and address its root causes and
catalysts, such as protracted conflict without hope of resolution,
political grievances, the alienation of communities, the lack of good
governance, poverty and the lack of education and socioeconomic
opportunities. Action is required by individual Member States,
regional organizations and the broader international community,
including by mobilizing resources, building resilience and
strengthening protective environments for children. A new and
compounding challenge is the regular use of propaganda on social
media to recruit children and young people. I urge Member States to
strengthen programmes to prevent the recruitment of children through
social media.
16. The effective reintegration of children
formerly associated with groups perpetrating violent extremism should
be a priority. However, in Member States’ response to violent
extremism, children are often systematically treated as security
threats rather than as victims, and are administratively detained or
prosecuted for their alleged association. Depriving children of
liberty following their separation is contrary not only to the best
interests of the child, but also to the best interests of society as
a whole. This approach further complicates efforts to reintegrate
children, given that it separates them from their families and can
also lead to the creation of community grievances.
C. Children displaced by armed conflict
17. Armed conflict has resulted in forced
displacement, with an ever-growing number of people fleeing in search
of protection. In the Syrian Arab Republic, more than 4.8 million
people have fled the country and 6.5 million have been internally
displaced since the beginning of the conflict; nearly half of them
are children. In Nigeria, as at the end of December, more than 1.8
million people had been internally displaced, including in excess of
1 million children, and more than 200,000 were refugees in
neighbouring countries. In South Sudan, some 200,000 civilians,
mainly women and children, remained in United Nations sites for the
protections of civilians at the end of 2015. In Gaza, 44,479 children
remain displaced as a result of the escalation of hostilities in
2014.
18. Those figures represent a very small
fraction of the total number of children displaced by conflict, many
of whom are unaccompanied or separated from their families and
caregivers during displacement. Those children are at a high risk and
were victims of grave violations inside and around camps or other
areas where they sought refuge. It is noted herein that, in contexts
such as South Sudan, the Sudan and the Syrian Arab Republic, parties
to conflict took advantage of the vulnerability of displaced and
refugee populations to recruit children and commit other crimes,
including sexual violence and abduction.
19. States of origin, transit and destination
have a responsibility to ensure appropriate protection for displaced
children and to avoid aggravating their vulnerability, including
through equal access to health care, high-quality education and
psychosocial support. The failure to accord priority to the rights
and needs of children affected by armed conflict will only increase
the cost of rebuilding society once peace has been achieved.
20. Conflict prevention must be the goal of the
international community. Sustainable peace is the only way to reduce
conflict-related displacement, and increased efforts should be made
to identify long-term solutions that will reduce and mitigate the
root causes of conflict. In the short term, action is urgently
required to alleviate the plight of the many children currently
displaced by armed conflict. I encourage Member States to respect the
rights of displaced and refugee children and to provide them with the
necessary support services, keeping in mind the best interests of the
child.
III. Information on grave violations committed
against children during armed conflict and progress made by parties
on dialogue, action plans and other measures to halt and prevent
violations against children
A. Situations on the agenda of the Security
Council
Afghanistan
21. Children were disproportionately affected by
the intensifying conflict in Afghanistan. The number of child
casualties verified by the United Nations has risen by 14 per cent
since 2014 and reached the highest number ever recorded. One in four
civilian casualties in 2015 was a child.
22. The number of verified cases of recruitment
and use of children more than doubled compared with 2014. A total of
116 cases (115 boys, 1 girl) were documented during the reporting
period, of which 48 were verified. Thirteen verified recruitment
cases were attributed to the Afghan National Defence and Security
Forces: five to the Afghan Local Police; five to the Afghan National
Police; and three to the Afghan National Army. The majority of
verified cases were attributed to the Taliban (20) and other armed
groups (15). The Taliban continued to recruit children for combat and
suicide attacks. There is continuing concern about allegations of
cross-border recruitment of children and of use of religious schools
in Afghanistan and Pakistan for child recruitment and military
training by the Taliban and other armed groups (see S/2015/336, para.
21).
23. As at 31 December, the Ministry of Justice
reported that 214 boys had been detained in juvenile rehabilitation
centres on charges relating to national security, including
association with armed groups. In addition, 166 detainees arrested as
children were being held at the Parwan detention facility for
security-related offences; 53 of those were under 18 years of age. I
am concerned about children being held in a high-security facility
for adults for extended periods without due process, and about
reports of the consistent use of solitary confinement for children.
24. The United Nations verified 1,306 incidents
resulting in 2,829 child casualties (733 killed, 2,096 injured) —
an average of 53 children were killed or injured every week. Of the
casualties, 42 per cent (339 killed, 850 injured) were attributed to
armed groups, including the Taliban, groups affiliated with ISIL and
Hezb-i-Islami, and 23 per cent (177 killed, 471 injured) to the
Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and pro-Government
militias. A total of 55 child casualties were attributed to
international forces, the majority of which were caused by air
strikes (21 killed, 20 injured), and cross-border shelling (3 killed,
9 injured). A third of child casualties (937) could not be attributed
to a specific party. The leading causes of child casualties remained
ground engagements (55 per cent), improvised explosive device attacks
(19 per cent) and explosive remnants of war (13 per cent). The number
of casualties relating to air strikes by Afghan and international
forces almost doubled in 2015.
25. The United Nations received 11 reports of
sexual violence, affecting nine boys and six girls. One incident
involving a boy recruited and sexually abused by the Taliban in the
northern region was verified. Concerns remain regarding the cultural
practice of bachah-bazi (“dancing boys”), which involves the
sexual exploitation of boys by men in power, including Afghan
National Defence and Security Forces commanders.
26. Attacks on schools and protected personnel
continued to be verified, including the killing, injury and abduction
of education personnel. Of 132 verified incidents, 82 were attributed
to the Taliban, 13 to ISIL-affiliated groups, 11 to undetermined
armed groups, 1 to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and 23 to the
Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and pro-Government
militias; 2 incidents could not be attributed to any party. The
emergence of ISIL-affiliated groups in the east had an impact on
access to education and led to the closure of 68 schools, affecting
more than 48,751 children in Nangarhar Province.
27. Verified attacks on hospitals and health
personnel (125) significantly increased compared with 2014. In the
attacks, at least 63 health-care personnel, including vaccinators,
were killed or injured, 66 abducted and 64 intimidated and assaulted.
A total of 75 incidents were attributed to the Taliban; 14 to
ISIL-affiliated groups; 1 to TTP; 19 to undetermined armed groups; 14
to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and pro-Government
militias; and 1 to international forces. For example, 49 medical
staff were killed or injured in an air strike by international forces
on the Médecins sans frontières hospital in Kunduz on 3 October.
28. In a positive development, in May, the
Government signed the Safe Schools Declaration, aimed at protecting
education facilities from military use during conflict. The use of
schools by parties to the conflict continued, however, with 24 cases
attributed to the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces and 11
to armed groups (Taliban (4), ISIL-affiliated group (7)). The United
Nations also verified 10 incidents of military use of hospitals.
29. The verified number of children abducted
more than tripled compared with 2014. A total of 92 children (74
boys, 4 girls and 14 of unknown sex) were abducted in 23 incidents,
including incidents linked to the killing of seven children and
sexual violence against a child. The abductions of 69 children were
attributed to the Taliban (two killed), 3 to ISIL-affiliated groups
(all killed) and 12 to undetermined armed groups. An incident
involving eight children remains unattributed.
30. The United Nations received reports of 93
incidents of denial of humanitarian access (75 verified).
Humanitarian personnel were abducted (100), killed (9) and threatened
and intimidated (14 incidents), while five humanitarian convoys were
attacked. Of the verified incidents, 76 (78 per cent) were attributed
to armed groups, including the Taliban, and 10 to the Afghan National
Defence and Security Forces and pro-Government militias, while 7
cases could not be attributed.
31. The United Nations welcomes the measures
taken by the Government in meeting its obligations under the action
plan, including criminalizing underage recruitment by the Afghan
National Defence and Security Forces, the endorsement of national age
assessment guidelines and the inauguration of three new child
protection units within Afghan National Police recruitment centres,
bringing the total to seven. Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice
granted the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan
unimpeded access to all juvenile rehabilitation centres.
32. In February 2016, my Special Representative
visited Afghanistan. She commended the strong commitment of the
Government and the important progress made to end and prevent the
recruitment and use of children by the Afghan National Defence and
Security Forces, and discussed gaps and challenges to be addressed.
Critical elements are the nationwide expansion of child protection
units in Afghan National Police recruitment centres, the
implementation of national age assessment guidelines in all Afghan
National Defence and Security Forces recruitment and a general
prohibition on child recruitment and use in the Child Law. I am
concerned, however, about the lack of oversight mechanisms for Afghan
Local Police recruitment, especially in the light of allegations of
informal recruitment of children. Reintegration programmes and
alternatives for children are also important, given that poverty is a
driver of recruitment. Regarding the deprivation of liberty of
children on charges relating to national security, I urge the
Government to consider alternatives to detention and ensure that
children are always treated in accordance with their best interests
and juvenile justice standards.
33. Further analysis of the six grave violations
is provided in my country report on children and armed conflict in
Afghanistan, issued on 15 May 2015 (S/2015/336). The Security Council
Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict adopted its conclusions
on Afghanistan in February 2016, and I urge all parties to take
action to address the recommendations set out therein.
Central African Republic
34. There were significant political
developments in the Central African Republic in 2015, including the
holding of the Bangui Forum on National Reconciliation in May, a
constitutional referendum in November and the first round of
presidential elections in December. A new outbreak of violence
erupted in September between former Séléka elements, anti-balaka
elements and members of the former Central African military, which
critically affected children. A detailed account of the effects of
armed conflict in the country is available in my recent report to the
Security Council, which covers the period from January 2011 to
December 2015 (S/2016/133).
35. The United Nations documented 40 cases of
child recruitment and use, more than half of which were by LRA (21)
and over a quarter by the former Séléka faction, Union pour la paix
en Centrafrique (UPC) (13). Children were used as combatants,
messengers, informants and cooks. Girls were also used as sex slaves.
In addition, the United Nations documented the presence of an
undetermined number of children manning checkpoints and barricades
alongside armed individuals reportedly sympathetic or affiliated to
anti-balaka and former Séléka elements, when violence erupted in
Bangui in September. On several occasions, suspected anti-balaka
elements used children as shields as they fired at United Nations
Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central
African Republic (MINUSCA) forces. Furthermore, the military leader
of a former Séléka faction, Mouvement patriotique pour la
Centrafrique, acknowledged having 43 children in his group. The
United Nations engaged with him for their release, but without
further cooperation.
36. There was a fall in the number of documented
child casualties compared with 2014, with 62 children killed and 185
maimed, mostly during the violence in September sparked by the
beheading of a 16-year-old boy. The ensuing violence claimed the
lives of 28 children and injured 31. Anti-balaka elements were
responsible for killing 28 children and former Séléka factions for
8, while 26 children died in crossfire or in incidents involving
explosive remnants of war.
37. Sexual violence remained prevalent, with 70
cases documented, although the number of verified cases significantly
decreased compared with 2014. Incidents were mainly attributed to
former Séléka factions, in particular UPC, but also to anti-balaka
elements and armed individuals of Fulani origin. A small number of
incidents were reported to the police, but did not result in
investigation or prosecution.
38. In the context of already fragile education
and health-care systems, 19 attacks on schools and 12 on hospitals
were verified, the majority by anti-balaka and former Séléka
elements (UPC and Front populaire pour la renaissance de la
Centrafrique factions). A nurse was killed in Bambari in March by
anti-balaka elements who had accused her of spying. Two suspects were
arrested and handed over to the police, but no action had been taken
as at the time of writing (March 2016). Furthermore, 16 schools were
used for military purposes, 14 of them by former Séléka factions.
In a positive development, the Government signed the Safe Schools
Declaration.
39. A total of 52 children were verified as
having been abducted: 25 by LRA, 15 by anti-balaka elements and the
remainder by unidentified armed men. More allegations involving LRA
were received but could not be verified. While the children abducted
by LRA were used as porters or looters or for sexual purposes,
abductions by anti-balaka elements were mainly for ransom.
40. Humanitarian access remained a major
concern, with 140 verified incidents affecting humanitarians.
Unidentified armed individuals or alleged affiliates of anti‑balaka
and former Séléka elements, often for financial gain,
systematically impeded the provision of humanitarian assistance.
41. The United Nations continued to engage with
some former Séléka factions, local anti-balaka commanders and other
armed groups. That interaction culminated with the signing of an
agreement by 10 armed groups on 5 May, on the margins of the Bangui
Forum on National Reconciliation, to end and prevent the recruitment
and use of, and other grave violations against, children. Since the
agreement was signed, 1,446 children have been separated from armed
groups and space has opened for the United Nations to discuss
commitments to end grave violations, especially with a number of the
former Séléka factions. With regard to the anti-balaka, the United
Nations engaged with local commanders, which led to the separation of
children.
42. In total, 2,679 children were separated from
armed groups: almost 89 per cent from anti-balaka elements and 10 per
cent from former Séléka elements. UNICEF and its partners developed
community-based approaches to reintegrate the children.
43. Allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse
against children by MINUSCA military and police personnel were
recorded, including four from the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
one each from Burundi, the Congo, Gabon and Morocco and two by
unknown perpetrators. As at December, investigations were continuing
regarding seven allegations, with one involving personnel from
Morocco and one involving personnel from the Democratic Republic of
the Congo found to be unsubstantiated. Three allegations were also
reported against members of the Sangaris force and contingents of the
European Union-led peacekeeping force in the Central African
Republic. Furthermore, many new allegations involving personnel of
the Sangaris force and MINUSCA were received in 2016 and were being
investigated at the time of writing (March 2016).
Democratic Republic of the Congo
44. The security situation in the eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ituri, North Kivu and Tanganyika)
remained volatile in 2015 and was marked by military operations by
the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces
armées de la République démocratique du Congo — FARDC) against
the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR), the Allied
Democratic Forces (ADF), the Forces de résistance patriotiques en
Ituri (FRPI) and other armed groups. The situation also deteriorated
owing to the activities of armed groups and intercommunal clashes.
The United Nations verified 2,549 violations against children, a
significant increase compared with 2014. Nearly 40 per cent were
attributed to FDLR. Children took the opportunity of military
operations to escape from armed groups, resulting in a spike in the
number of separated children.
45. The United Nations verified the new
recruitment of 488 children (26 girls), of whom 30 per cent were
under 15 years of age when recruited. This is more than twice the
number of documented cases in 2014. Of the recruitment and use, 89
per cent occurred in North Kivu, and almost half of the children were
recruited by FDLR (219), followed by Raia Mutomboki (89), Nyatura
(69) and other groups (111). In July, 10 boys who had been recruited
in 2013 and 2014 were separated from FARDC and reported that they had
participated in military operations in North Kivu in the year of
their recruitment. The United Nations engaged with FARDC, which
indicated that it had suspended the suspected commanding officers and
initiated an investigation, which was continuing at the time of
writing (March 2016).
46. FARDC handed over 139, and the Congolese
National Police 8, children formerly associated with armed groups to
the United Nations. Ten other children were handed over after they
had been detained by FARDC, notwithstanding the two government
directives prohibiting the holding of children for alleged
association with armed groups. Some had been detained for a few
months, but one boy had allegedly been detained for more than a year.
At the time of writing (March 2016), the United Nations had
identified at least 22 children who were being held without charge in
Angenga prison after being encountered in military operations.
47. At least 80 children were killed and 56
maimed, with most incidents occurring in North Kivu and Ituri. ADF
(20), FRPI (19) and FDLR (14) were the main perpetrators among armed
groups. A total of 29 children were killed and maimed by FARDC and 9
by the Congolese National Police. Fourteen casualties were attributed
to military operations or clashes among armed groups and nine were
the result of explosive remnants of war.
48. The United Nations verified 254 child
victims of sexual violence. Armed groups were responsible for the
majority of incidents, in particular FRPI (67), Raia Mutomboki (33)
and Mayi Mayi Simba (27). FARDC was responsible for 68 cases, the
Congolese National Police for 19 and the National Intelligence Agency
for 2. A total of 42 FARDC and 11 Congolese National Police elements
were arrested following the incidents.
49. Twenty-six attacks on schools (22) and
hospitals (4) were verified. The Twa self-defence group destroyed 10
schools in Tanganyika Province in clashes with the Luba. The
remaining attacks were perpetrated by Nyatura (4), FDLR (2) and other
armed groups (5). Regarding hospitals, ADF was responsible for two
attacks and LRA and FDLR for one each. Most notably, an attack by ADF
on Eringeti hospital in Beni territory on 29 November resulted in at
least 31 casualties.
50. Notwithstanding a directive issued in 2013
by the Ministry of Defence prohibiting the practice of military use
of schools, 20 schools were used by FARDC. Following advocacy by the
United Nations, however, 13 were vacated. Ten schools were also used
by armed groups.
51. A total of 195 reports of abductions were
received. Sixty-eight verified cases were attributed mainly to Raia
Mutomboki, FRPI and ADF. Girls were reported to have been raped while
in captivity, and some 40 per cent of the children are still missing.
LRA continued to abduct children; 102 new reports were received in
2015.
52. Two cases of denial of humanitarian access
by Raia Mutomboki were documented in Shabunda territory (South Kivu).
In addition, at least 127 incidents of intimidation of and direct
attacks on humanitarian organizations and staff were recorded in
North Kivu.
53. Military pressure and radio messages
encouraging children to escape contributed to 2,045 children being
separated from armed groups, which is twice the number separated in
the previous year. Children were separated from FDLR (891), but also
from Raia Mutomboki, Nyatura, FRPI, Nduma Defence of Congo/Cheka and
other armed groups. Ten boys were also separated from FARDC in 2015.
Six Burundian boys allegedly recruited in a refugee camp in Rwanda
were separated. A report released by the United Nations Organization
Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUSCO) in November2 demonstrated the plight of girls associated
with armed groups. In 257 cases, children associated with armed
groups were separated from FARDC bases (Kitona and Kamina) far from
where they had been encountered, which delayed and complicated family
reunification. In response, the United Nations advocated adherence to
agreed principles to separate children where they are encountered by
FARDC.
54. Throughout 2015, the Government maintained
its commitment to implementing the action plan signed with the United
Nations in 2012, including through the work of the President’s
personal adviser on sexual violence and child recruitment. In
September, the Minister of Defence endorsed a road map outlining
pending activities for the full implementation of the action plan. To
accelerate the process, three new provincial joint technical working
groups were established. The United Nations provided technical
support and screened more than 17,000 FARDC troops. However, it
remains a concern that FARDC may not be able to identify minors
without assistance, as was the case with the children identified by
the United Nations in 2015. It is important that, as part of the
implementation of the road map, the standard operating procedure on
age assessment, drafted in August, be adopted and implemented
country-wide.
55. Efforts continued by the Government to hold
the perpetrators of grave violations accountable. At least 68
individuals, including high-ranking officers of FARDC and the
Congolese National Police, were arrested, with 37 receiving sentences
of up to 20 years’ imprisonment for sexual violence against girls.
Moreover, in August, an FARDC officer was arrested for the alleged
recruitment and use of children. Seven leaders of armed groups were
arrested on similar charges, including the former FRPI leader, Justin
Matata Wanaloki, alias “Cobra Matata”.
56. I encourage the Government to continue its
efforts to implement the action plan by institutionalizing
procedures, adopting and disseminating the standard operating
procedure on age verification assessment and sustaining its
commitment to combating impunity.
57. Allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse
of children involving members of MONUSCO military contingents from
South Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania were being
investigated at the time of writing (March 2016). Two other incidents
involving military personnel from Benin and South Africa were
substantiated.
Iraq
58. Military operations against ISIL
intensified, especially in the governorates of Anbar, Baghdad,
Kirkuk, Ninawa and Salah al-Din. The governorates of Baghdad and
Diyala witnessed the main concentration of ISIL attacks. The impact
on civilians and civilian infrastructure was devastating. My report
on children and armed conflict in Iraq (S/2015/852) provides
information on the period from January 2011 to June 2015. Limited
access, especially with the intensification of conflict, and fear of
retaliation impeded the monitoring and reporting of grave violations.
The figures presented below are considered to be underreported.
59. The United Nations verified the recruitment
and use of 37 children (36 boys and 1 girl). Of the cases, 19 were
attributed to ISIL (including 18 boys from Halabjah, Sulaymaniyah
governorate), 6 to the Kurdish Workers Party and other Kurdish armed
groups and 12 to groups under the umbrella of the popular
mobilization forces. Cases of child recruitment by the popular
mobilization forces, which since April 2015 have been under the
authority of the Prime Minister, included the coercion of eight boys
to go to a military training camp and the recruitment of four boys
who were killed while fighting ISIL in Bayji, Salah al-Din
governorate. Another 174 incidents of child recruitment (169 by ISIL,
3 by the Kurdish Workers Party and 2 by the popular mobilization
forces) were reported but could not be verified. Recruitment by ISIL
was reported in the Anbar and Ninawa governorates, and child soldiers
were portrayed in social media, including as executioners.
60. As at December, at least 314 children (256
boys and 58 girls), including 23 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,
remained in detention on charges under the Anti‑Terrorism Law
(2005), including for alleged association with armed groups.
61. The killing and maiming of children remained
the most reported violation. The United Nations recorded 268
incidents, resulting in 809 child casualties (338 killed and 471
injured). Of those incidents, 152 were verified, including the
killing of 203 children (125 boys, 32 girls and 46 of unknown sex)
and injury of 314 (182 boys, 96 girls and 36 of unknown sex). The
majority (74 per cent) of child casualties were recorded in the
second half of 2015, as military operations intensified in the Anbar,
Ninawa and Salah al-Din governorates. A total of 63 per cent of
casualties occurred during military operations and engagements
involving ISIL, the Iraqi security forces, including the popular
mobilization forces and the Peshmerga, tribal elements and the
international coalition against ISIL. There were 76 recorded
improvised explosive device attacks targeting public areas and Iraqi
security personnel.
62. The United Nations received reports of
sexual violence against girls, in particular against members of the
Yezidi community and other minority groups, in ISIL-controlled areas.
Specific cases of rape and sexual violence remained difficult to
verify, however.
63. The United Nations documented 90 incidents
of attacks on schools and education personnel (68 verified). The
majority (62) resulted from continuing fighting in Anbar, and schools
were targeted by improvised explosive devices in three incidents in
Baghdad and Diyala. Teachers and students were directly targeted in
24 incidents. On 9 December, ISIL tortured and killed a female
teacher in Ninawa for refusing to use the ISIL curriculum. Three
schools in the governorates of Anbar and Salah al-Din were used for
military purposes (two by ISIL and one by Iraqi security forces).
64. Ten attacks on health facilities were
reported, of which seven were attributed to air strikes in Anbar. In
addition, 26 attacks on medical personnel were recorded, with 18
staff killed, 10 abducted and 2 injured in the governorates of
Baghdad, Diyala, Ninawa and Salah al-Din.
65. The United Nations received many reports of
abduction of children, primarily by ISIL. In two incidents in June
and September, more than 1,000 children were reportedly abducted by
ISIL from Mosul district. In another nine incidents, 12 children (10
boys and 2 girls) were allegedly abducted by unknown perpetrators
owing to family affiliations.
66. Incidents were documented of internally
displaced persons being prevented from fleeing conflict to access
safety and basic services. For example, in December, 1,600 internally
displaced persons from Anbar were stopped from crossing the Bzeibiz
bridge between Anbar and Baghdad and some were abducted, reportedly
by elements of the popular mobilization forces.
67. In collaboration with the United Nations,
the Kurdistan Regional Government established a task force on justice
for children to follow up on children in conflict with the law,
including those detained on charges relating to national security. I
welcome the efforts by the Government to identify preventive measures
to counter child recruitment by ISIL, but am concerned about
continued reports of recruitment and use of children by the popular
mobilization forces, which now fall under the Government’s
responsibility. I urge the Government to put in place age
verification and screening, and to criminalize and ensure
accountability for child recruitment and use.
Israel and State of Palestine
68. In 2015, the situation was marked by
heightened tensions that translated into widespread violence,
especially in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the second
half of the year. The detrimental impact of grave violations and an
increasingly violent and oppressive environment continued to mark the
lives of children. Palestinian and Israeli children were affected by
the prevailing situation of military occupation, conflict and the
blockade.
69. In 2015, 30 Palestinian children (25 boys
and 5 girls) were killed and at least 1,735 injured (1,687 boys and
48 girls), predominantly in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
70. A total of 27 Palestinian children (23 boys
and 4 girls) were killed in the West Bank, almost double the number
killed in 2014. Most of the killings took place in the fourth quarter
of 2015. Twenty-five deaths were attributed to Israeli forces, one to
Israeli settlers and one to both Israeli forces and settlers. The
number of Palestinian children injured also increased, predominantly
as a result of clashes with Israeli forces and military-led
operations. In the fourth quarter of 2015, 121 stabbing attacks
against Israelis were carried out by Palestinians, including minors.
From October to December, 14 Palestinian children involved in or
suspected of stabbing attacks were shot dead by Israeli forces. I
have repeatedly condemned the stabbings and other attacks. In
addition, a number of the incidents raise concerns about the
excessive use of force and unlawful killing, given that there are
indications that the children posed no imminent or immediate threat
to life that would justify the use of lethal force. For example, on
25 October, a 17-year-old girl was stopped at a checkpoint in Hebron,
searched and shot at least five times. The Israeli authorities
alleged that she had attempted to stab a police officer, yet an
eyewitness stated that she had held her hands in the air and had
posed no threat.
71. Violence by Israeli settlers and related
incidents involving Israeli forces resulted in the injury of 54
Palestinian children (45 boys and 9 girls), with 20 cases of direct
injury by settlers. An 18-month-old Palestinian boy was killed by
Israeli settlers in an arson attack on 31 July that also claimed the
lives of his parents and seriously injured his 4-year-old brother.
Two Israelis, including a minor, were charged in relation to the
crime.
72. A total of 13 Israeli children (9 boys and 4
girls) were injured by Palestinians. An Israeli girl who had
sustained critical injuries in 2013 in a car accident involving
stone-throwing by Palestinians died of complications. Furthermore, it
was reported that a 17-year-old Israeli male had been shot dead in
November.
73. In Gaza, three Palestinian children were
killed by Israeli forces. Two boys were killed near the fence with
Israel and one girl was killed in an air strike. In addition, 65 boys
were injured, predominantly in the access-restricted areas along the
fence with Israel and at sea.
74. Limited information is available about the
recruitment or use of children. The Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades
reportedly ran a military camp for 25,000 children and young people
between 15 and 21 years of age in Gaza from 25 July to 5 August. On
30 August, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
reportedly held a graduation ceremony during a camp for girls, which
included training in weapons.
75. An increased number of Palestinian children
were arrested and detained by Israeli forces and prosecuted by
juvenile military courts in the West Bank. In East Jerusalem, 860
Palestinian children were arrested, including 136 between 7 and 11
years of age, under the age of criminal responsibility. The monthly
average number of children held in Israeli custody, according to the
Israel Prison Service, increased by 15 per cent compared with 2014. A
worrisome development was the recommencement of administrative
detention of children, which had not been used in East Jerusalem
since 2000 and elsewhere in the West Bank since 2011. Between October
and December, six children were placed in administrative detention by
the Israeli authorities. The United Nations and partners continued to
document cases of ill-treatment of children by Israeli forces during
their arrest and detention in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
76. In the West Bank, attacks on schools and
protected personnel, and a pervasive environment of violence,
harassment and intimidation, continued to have an impact on
children’s access to education. The United Nations documented 283
incidents relating to education, including 96 cases of schools coming
under fire during military-led operations and clashes, 46 attacks and
threats of violence against students and teachers by Israeli security
forces and settlers, and 62 instances of interference with education
owing to the closure of schools or the arrest and detention of staff
and students. In Gaza, of the 262 schools and 274 kindergartens
damaged or destroyed during the hostilities in 2014, 96 per cent of
non-United Nations schools, all United Nations schools and 65 per
cent of kindergartens have been repaired or rebuilt through the
assistance of humanitarian organizations and donors.
77. Ten incidents of interference with health
care were documented in the West Bank, with half involving the
Makassed hospital in East Jerusalem. Incidents included the forced
closure of clinics, search-and-arrest operations and Israeli security
forces entering hospitals to obtain files and interrogate medical
staff, resulting in the disruption of medical services. In addition,
the Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that more than 131
paramedics and volunteers had been wounded and 76 ambulances damaged
while undertaking their work in the West Bank and that access by
medical teams to sick and wounded persons had been denied or delayed
by Israeli security forces on 70 occasions.
78. In my previous report (A/69/926-S/2015/409),
I urged Israel to take concrete and immediate steps to protect
children, schools and hospitals, in particular by ensuring
accountability for alleged violations. Of the 190 cases of alleged
violations of international humanitarian law during the hostilities
in Gaza in 2014 referred to the Israeli Defense Forces Fact-Finding
Assessments Mechanism, the Israeli Military Advocate General has
indicted three soldiers for looting and theft. Investigations into
numerous incidents, including the killing of four children on a beach
in Gaza City on 16 July 2014, were closed without criminal or
disciplinary proceedings.
79. I am concerned that actions have been taken
by the Government of Israel in 2015 that further restrict the rights
of Palestinians, including children. For example, the Knesset passed
temporary amendments to the Penal Code to increase the maximum
sentence for throwing stones to 20 years, and the State Prosecutor
directed that all prosecutors should seek the detention of suspects
charged with stone-throwing until the end of legal proceedings. I
also reiterate my concerns regarding the practice of punitive
demolitions of the homes of Palestinians accused of attacking
Israelis, which have rendered their families and neighbours,
including children, homeless.
Lebanon
80. Children were affected by intensified
clashes in the Bekaa governorate and the Ein el-Hillweh Palestine
refugee camp, bombings in Tripoli and Beirut and violence along the
border with the Syrian Arab Republic and the Blue Line with Israel.
81. The United Nations continued to document
cases of recruitment and use of children by local and foreign armed
groups, including of boys between 15 and 17 years of age who were
sent to the Syrian Arab Republic. The majority of incidents were
related to the Nusrah Front; however, children were reportedly also
recruited by other armed groups, including Hizbullah, supporting the
Syrian government forces. Furthermore, the United Nations documented
the recruitment and use of boys and girls between 15 and 17 years of
age by Palestinian armed factions and other armed groups within
Lebanon. Reportedly, boys were used to man checkpoints or as guards,
while girls were used in support roles.
82. As noted in my previous report
(A/69-926-S/2015/409), I am concerned that children are held in
pretrial detention under military jurisdiction on charges relating to
national security. Fifteen boys (between 14 and 17 years of age at
the time of their arrest) were still detained as at the end of 2015.
83. The United Nations verified 14 cases of
child casualties relating to explosive remnants of war in southern
Lebanon (2 killed, 9 injured), stray bullets during Hizbullah
mourning ceremonies (1 killed, 1 injured) and crossfire (1 injured).
84. During violence between armed factions in
the Ein el-Hillweh refugee camp in August, six United Nations schools
and two medical facilities were damaged by crossfire and four United
Nations schools were used by armed elements.
85. I commend the Government on its intensified
efforts to implement the workplan to prevent and respond to the
association of children with armed violence in Lebanon, signed in
August 2014. I once again urge Lebanon to ratify the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict, which it signed in 2002.
Libya
86. Protracted fighting continued in Benghazi,
and sporadic armed clashes occurred in Ajdabiya, Darnah, Kufrah,
Sabha, Sirte, Tripoli and the oil crescent. Groups pledging
allegiance to ISIL expanded and gained territory in central Libya.
Access for monitoring continued to be restricted by insecurity, and
United Nations international staff were located outside the country.
87. The recruitment and use of children by armed
groups was reported. For example, groups affiliated with ISIL
reportedly operated training camps south of Sirte, with a graduation
ceremony for 85 children under 16 years of age reportedly held in
December. It has been reported that children have been exposed to
sexual violence during their association with armed groups.
88. At least 60 children were reportedly
casualties of indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, air
strikes, suicide bombings and crossfire, the majority in Benghazi.
Summary executions of children were also reported, with groups
affiliated with ISIL allegedly beheading a 17-year-old boy in Hawarah
in May.
89. In Benghazi, 40 schools were reportedly
damaged or destroyed, including through indiscriminate shelling. The
United Nations also documented a case of military use of a school as
a detention facility by the Darnah Mujahideen Shura Council. Attacks
on hospitals and medical personnel continued. The Benghazi medical
centre was shelled at least four times, and four medical personnel
were reportedly killed on duty in an ambulance on 6 May. The
abduction and killing of medical personnel by armed groups, including
groups affiliated to Operation Karamah, was documented in Ajdabiya,
Benghazi and Darnah.
90. In the context of the breakdown of law and
order, there was a rise in the abduction of children by armed groups,
militias and criminal organizations. For example, the body of a
16-year-old boy, reportedly abducted by militias affiliated with
Operation Karamah, was found in Benghazi in December.
91. In June, an armed group believed to belong
to the Magarha tribe abducted seven staff of a Libyan humanitarian
organization; the whereabouts of the abductees remains unknown.
92. The United Nations engaged with the
Constitution Drafting Assembly to include guarantees of children’s
rights in the draft constitution. I welcome the decision of the
Zintan Municipal Council of February 2016 to release and reintegrate
child soldiers, and look forward to its implementation with the
support of UNICEF.
Mali
93. Notwithstanding the peace accord signed by
the Government, the Platform coalition of armed groups and the
Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad in May and June, clashes
between the parties in northern Mali continued in the middle of 2015.
The period was also marked by an increase in violent extremist and
asymmetric attacks. In total, 109 verified and 128 unverified grave
violations were reported.
94. A total of 127 cases of recruitment and use
of children by armed groups were received, with 30 verified. In
addition, 27 cases of recruitment and use of children by the Groupe
d’autodefense des Touaregs Imghad et leurs alliés were verified in
March 2016 in Ineggar, Gao region, and 47 other alleged cases were
received. As at 31 December, of the 32 children arrested on
security charges, 4 remained in detention in Bamako and Koulikoro.
The United Nations continued to collaborate with the Malian
authorities to ensure the implementation of the handover protocol
signed in 2013. In addition, it documented cases of 14 children held
by armed groups.
95. The United Nations verified the killing of
12 children and the maiming of 39 during rocket attacks and
crossfire, as well as by improvised explosive device attacks and
explosive remnants of war. While the identification of the
perpetrators was not always possible, CMA was reportedly involved in
at least two attacks. In one incident, two boys were lynched,
dismembered and burned by a mob on suspicion of being associated with
armed groups and participating in an attack.
96. A total of 22 cases of rape and other forms
of sexual violence against children were verified, comprising 3 by
the Malian defence and security forces, 1 by the Platform and 18 by
unknown perpetrators.
97. Four attacks and threats of attacks on
schools and protected personnel were verified, including one by CMA
and one by the Front de libération du Macina.3 Following the killing
of a village leader by the latter group in Dogo, Mopti region,
reportedly for seeking the authorities’ support after he had been
told to close secular schools, the group threatened teachers in six
local communes, leading to the closure of 93 schools. The number of
schools used for military purposes by armed groups had dropped from
20 in 2014 to 7 by December.
98. The operational environment remained
extremely volatile and targeted attacks against humanitarian
personnel and facilities contributed to the disruption of the
delivery of assistance. In a verified incident, CMA forced an
international medical non-governmental organization supporting two
health centres in the Timbuktu region to withdraw.
99. In the light of increasing threats to
education, the United Nations initiated a dialogue with the Ministry
of Education on the protection of schools. Efforts to engage CMA on
ending and preventing grave violations against children continued and
steps were taken to develop an action plan with the Mouvement
national de libération de l’Azawad. In October, the United Nations
also assisted the Malian authorities in developing a separation and
reintegration strategy for children. I encourage the Malian
authorities and stakeholders involved in the implementation of the
peace agreement to dedicate attention to the rights and specific
needs of children.
Myanmar
100. Conflict continued in Kachin and Shan
States and the south-east between government armed forces (Tatmadaw)
and armed groups. On 15 October, the Government and eight armed
groups, including four listed parties, signed a nationwide ceasefire
agreement.
101. The United Nations received reports of 217
cases of recruitment, of which 95 were verified. Five verified
incidents took place in 2015, with three attributed to the Tatmadaw
(those recruited were subsequently released) and two to the Kachin
Independence Army. Twenty-six incidents verified in 2015 had taken
place in 2014. Furthermore, the United Nations received seven reports
of the use of children in support functions by the Tatmadaw,
including two verified cases in Rakhine State. The Government
indicated that action had been taken against 382 military personnel,
including 73 officers, for failing to adhere to recruitment
procedures. A civilian was also sentenced to a year’s imprisonment
for aiding underage recruitment. Credible information indicates that
children were recruited and used by armed groups; however, five
reported incidents could not be verified owing to limited access to
the areas. Reports of recruitment involved the Karen National
Liberation Army, the Kachin Independence Army, the Shan State
Army-South and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army in Kachin, Kayin
and Shan States.
102. The United Nations documented three
children held in military detention. Two were released after
notification to the Tatmadaw and the other was returned to his
regiment pending age verification. In addition, three children were
reportedly detained at the battalion level and subsequently
discharged.
103. The United Nations documented 37 incidents
of killing and maiming (25 killed and 50 injured), of which 23 were
verified and which resulted in the killing of 15 children and injury
of 37. More than half of the verified cases were related to landmines
and explosive remnants of war (10 killed and 24 injured).
104. The United Nations verified three cases of
sexual violence against girls, aged between 5 and 10 years, by
Tatmadaw soldiers. In a grievous case, an 8-year-old girl was raped
by a soldier and died after being taken to hospital. The perpetrators
were court-martialled for being absent from duty and intoxicated, and
two were convicted of rape by civilian courts.
105. The United Nations received 11 reports of
attacks on schools. Three verified incidents were attributed to the
Tatmadaw, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army and an unknown armed
group. Six verified cases of military use of schools were attributed
to the Tatmadaw.
106. Five incidents of abduction were verified,
with three leading to the disappearance of 11 children, which were
attributed to the Tatmadaw, and two incidents involving three
children were attributed to the Kachin Independence Army. Additional
reports of abduction by armed groups in Kachin, northern Shan and
Rakhine States, including for recruitment and use, could not be
verified owing to access restrictions.
107. The United Nations received two reports of
humanitarian personnel being caught in crossfire during engagement
between the Tatmadaw and armed groups. Humanitarian access to areas
outside government control in Kachin and Shan States was reduced
compared with 2014, owing to limited government authorization.
108. Positive steps continued to be taken by the
Government to advance the implementation of the joint action plan to
end and prevent the recruitment and use of children by the Tatmadaw,
including training on age assessment in recruitment centres,
increased access to military battalions and units for monitoring
missions and monthly case review meetings with the United Nations for
the verification of suspected child recruits. In 2015, 146 former
child soldiers, including 28 still under 18 years of age, were
released and reintegrated into their families and communities.
109. My Special Representative visited Myanmar
in July. While acknowledging the progress made, she noted that gaps
remained in the systematic prevention of and accountability for the
recruitment and use of children. Criminalizing recruitment and use by
both military personnel and civilians is critical. The passage of the
revised Child Law, including a chapter on children and armed conflict
and a corresponding penalties section, would be highly important. The
enforcement of existing accountability mechanisms also needs to be
strengthened for all grave violations, including through legal
clarity to ensure consistency in decisions, improved witness
protection and follow-up of cases in civilian courts.
110. In September, Myanmar signed the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the
involvement of children in armed conflict. I strongly encourage its
ratification.
111. My Special Representative engaged in
dialogue with three armed groups listed in the annexes to the present
report, to encourage the development of action plans to address the
recruitment and use of children and other grave violations. The
United Nations has pursued further dialogue with these groups, and
one listed party, the Karenni National Progressive Party/Karenni
Army, is ready to sign an action plan. I urge the Government to allow
the signing and implementation of action plans with listed armed
groups, which is a critical component of its commitment to end the
recruitment and use of children throughout Myanmar, in line with its
obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the
commitment made by signing the Optional Protocol.
Somalia
112. The period saw increased attacks by
Al-Shabaab on the Somali security forces, government officials and
the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), in addition to
inter-clan clashes. In July, AMISOM and the Somali National Army
resumed their offensive against Al-Shabaab. The national forces of
Ethiopia and Kenya also conducted military operations. The situation
resulted in a spike in the number of grave violations against
children, with an increase of almost 50 per cent compared with 2014.
113. The recruitment and use of 903 children was
documented, with 60 per cent of the cases (555) attributed to
Al-Shabaab. In December, around 150 children were reportedly abducted
for recruitment purposes from madrasas by Al-Shabaab in the Bay
region. Of those cases, 26 (all boys) were verified by the United
Nations. The Somali National Army also recruited a high number of
children (218), who were used for various tasks, such as manning
checkpoints. Recruitment was also attributed to clan militias (68),
Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama‘a (40) and Galmudug forces (17).
114. An increase in the detention of children
for association with armed groups was documented, with 365 cases. The
vast majority of children were detained by the Somali National Army
(346), but also by Jubaland forces (11), Galmudug forces (6) and Ahl
al-Sunna wal-Jama‘a (2). Twenty-four boys were detained by AMISOM
and later released. In a positive development, following engagement
and advocacy by the United Nations, 79 children formerly associated
with Al-Shabaab who had been held in rehabilitation centres were
handed over to United Nations-supported non‑governmental
organization partners. At the time of writing (March 2016), however,
dozens of children were reported to have taken part in an Al-Shabaab
attack on Puntland and Galmudug and had been detained by the regional
authorities.
115. A total of 474 incidents of killing and
maiming were documented, affecting 753 children, and attributed to
unknown armed elements (259), the Somali National Army (144),
Al-Shabaab (138), clan militias (123), AMISOM (60), Ahl al-Sunna
wal-Jama‘a (3) and other regional forces (8). Most incidents were
related to indiscriminate gunfire or improvised explosive devices.
The United Nations also documented six cases of children being
executed by Al-Shabaab. Most incidents attributed to AMISOM were
caused by indiscriminate shooting in response to attacks by
Al-Shabaab and during Operation Juba Corridor. For example, eight
children were killed in two incidents in Marka district, Shabelle
Hoose region, in July. In addition, 18 children were killed on 21
July in an air strike on a madrasa in Baardheere district.
116. The United Nations documented 164 incidents
of sexual violence affecting 174 children, with the majority
committed by clan militias (56), unknown armed elements (54), the
Somali National Army (43), Al-Shabaab (15) and Ahl al-Sunna
wal-Jama‘a and AMISOM (2 each). Eighteen cases of forced marriage
by parties to conflict were also documented.
117. Attacks on 24 schools and five hospitals
were documented. Al-Shabaab committed 15 attacks on schools, the
Somali National Army and allied militias were responsible for 4
attacks, clan militias and unknown armed elements were responsible
for 2 each and unidentified air forces were responsible for 1 attack,
as mentioned above. Attacks on hospitals were committed by AMISOM
(two) and Al-Shabaab, clan militias and the Somali National Army (one
each). The attacks by AMISOM involved the looting of medicines. In
addition, two schools were used by the Somali National Army,
including one in the Shabelle Hoose region, which was vacated
following engagement by the United Nations.
118. A pattern of abduction was observed.
Numbers spiked compared with 2014. A total of 458 boys and 65 girls
were abducted, with nearly 95 per cent by Al-Shabaab (492), but also
by clan militias (14). Abductions were often used as a tactic for
recruitment, but also for the purpose of sexual violence, including
forced marriage. For example, parents reported the abduction of 45
children by Al-Shabaab from a madrasa in the Juba Dhexe region in
August.
119. Twelve incidents of denial of humanitarian
access by clan militias (seven), the Somali National Army (three),
Al-Shabaab and unknown armed elements were reported. Humanitarian
access to children remained extremely challenging and United Nations
staff were targeted. Seventeen humanitarian staff were killed in
2015, including four UNICEF staff in a suicide attack by Al-Shabaab.
120. Regarding separation, UNICEF supported the
reintegration of 749 children through community-based programmes. The
United Nations also provided technical support to the Child
Protection Unit of the Somali National Army. Joint screening
exercises were conducted and 36 children were separated from militias
in Kismaayo, as part of a vetting process before their integration
into the Somali National Army. Efforts to provide the separated
children with assistance were continuing at the time of writing
(March 2016). In another positive development, the Government
ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 1 October. I
am, however, particularly concerned by the continuing recruitment and
use of children and high numbers of Somali National Army child
detainees. I call upon the Government to immediately separate all
children from the Somali National Army in adherence with the action
plan signed with the United Nations in 2012 and to comply with
international juvenile justice standards regarding detention.
121. The United Nations has engaged with AMISOM
on the alarming numbers of killing and maiming of children committed
by its forces. I urge the African Union and the troop-contributing
countries to take all measures necessary to prevent violations and
ensure the protection of children, as well as ensure accountability
by undertaking prompt and independent investigations.
South Sudan
122. Conflict continued throughout the country,
with intense clashes between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army
(SPLA) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in
Opposition (SPLM/A in Opposition) and their allied militias,
primarily in Unity and Upper Nile States. A peace agreement was
signed in August, but fighting continued, with mass displacement of
civilians and severe repercussions on children. A total of 1,051
incidents affecting 28,788 children were documented, with 601
incidents in Unity State alone.
123. The United Nations verified 159 incidents
of recruitment and use, affecting 2,596 children. Nearly 70 per cent
were attributed to SPLA (110), other government security forces and
allied forces, including the Cobra faction of the South Sudan
Democratic Movement/Army, which was integrated into SPLA in 2015.
Recruitment and use was also perpetrated by SPLM/A in Opposition
(19), Johnson Olony’s armed group (11), the Arrow Boys (4) and the
White Army (3). Children wearing military uniforms were spotted
throughout the country, especially in the greater Upper Nile region,
where they were used in direct hostilities and support roles.
First-hand reports were received of children being ordered to kill
civilians and loot properties in Unity State. Girls reported being
gang-raped and used for sexual purposes. According to the United
Nations in the Sudan, some 400 South Sudanese children were also
recruited by SPLM/A in Opposition from the Kharasana refugee camp,
Western Kordofan, in October.
124. The United Nations verified 131 incidents
of killing and 59 of maiming affecting 480 and 128 children,
respectively, a sharp increase compared with 2014. The majority were
attributed to SPLA (160), including in Unity State, where soldiers
and allied militias reportedly shot at and burned houses with
children inside. Incidents were also attributed to the South Sudan
National Police Service, SPLM/A in Opposition, Johnson Olony’s
armed group and other parties to conflict. Moreover, seven children
were killed and maimed in four incidents in United Nations sites for
the protection of civilians during exchanges of fire between SPLA and
SPLM/A in Opposition. Explosive remnants of war also caused child
casualties. A cross-border incident involving SPLA that killed six
children and maimed five was documented by the United Nations in the
Sudan.
125. A total of 103 incidents of sexual violence
affecting 430 children were verified and attributed to SPLA and other
government security forces. Most incidents were documented in Unity
State. Boys were reportedly castrated and sexually mutilated, while
girls who resisted rape were killed.
126. Ten attacks on schools by SPLA were
verified. They entailed destruction, damage, looting or the
recruitment of children. In an incident in Upper Nile State, 36
children were rounded up by Johnson Olony’s armed group, a militia
aligned at the time with SPLA, during an SPLA recruitment exercise.
They were later released. Eleven attacks on hospitals and health
facilities were also verified, with nine attributed to SPLA and two
to SPLM/A in Opposition.
127. As at the end of December, 25 schools were
being used for military purposes by SPLA and other government
security forces (22) and SPLM/A in Opposition (1). Thirty-six schools
were vacated in 2015, mainly through advocacy by the United Nations
and joint verifications with SPLA.
128. There was a dramatic upsurge in the number
of incidents of abduction, with 79 verified incidents affecting 1,596
children. The main perpetrators were SPLA (67), the Arrow Boys (5)
and SPLM/A in Opposition (4). The largest number of abductions was
documented in Unity State. Most children were abducted for
recruitment and use. Testimonies of rape while in captivity were also
received.
129. A total of 277 incidents of denial of
humanitarian access were verified and included attacks on personnel,
destruction of compounds and interference in the delivery of
assistance.
130. The Cobra faction of the South Sudan
Democratic Movement/Army released 1,755 children in the Greater Pibor
Administrative Area following advocacy by the United Nations.
Children joined reintegration programmes and received support, but
some boys were reportedly rerecruited. Since the group’s
integration into SPLA, the United Nations has been working with the
SPLA Child Protection Unit to release all children.
131. Child protection provisions were included
in the peace agreement signed in August, but United Nations
engagement with the parties to conflict yielded few results. Other
commitments to protect children were forthcoming, however, and, in
January, South Sudan ratified the Convention on the Rights of the
Child. On 26 December, SPLM/A in Opposition signed an action
plan to end and prevent the recruitment and use and killing and
maiming of children. I am, however, deeply concerned at the scale of
violations affecting children and, in line with my call during my
visit in February 2016, I urge the leaders of South Sudan to abide by
their responsibilities to protect children. I also call upon all
parties to turn their multiple commitments into action by stopping
the violations against children and releasing the thousands of
children from their ranks.
Sudan
Three areas: Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and
Abyei
132. Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces
and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) continued
in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States and attacks against
civilians were reported. The most recent round of peace talks between
the two parties, convened in November, produced little progress.
Intercommunal violence also occurred, including in Abyei. In
addition, the period featured activities by armed groups along the
border with South Sudan. Owing to access limitations, the United
Nations was unable to verify allegations and figures may be
underreported.
133. The United Nations documented four cases of
recruitment and use of children by the Sudanese Armed Forces. As
noted in my previous report (A/69/926-S/2015/409), cross-border
activities by armed groups continued and two boys were recruited by
SPLM-N from refugee settlements in South Sudan.
134. The United Nations documented 28 incidents
of killing and maiming, mostly perpetrated by the Sudanese Armed
Forces (16) and SPLM-N (6), affecting 43 and 38 children,
respectively. Most incidents were caused by attacks on civilians by
government forces and SPLM-N, aerial bombardment, shelling and
crossfire. Two were also the result of tribal clashes and explosive
remnants of war. In addition, the United Nations documented the
killing and maiming of four girls in a Sudanese Armed Forces aerial
bombardment in South Sudan.
135. The rapes of four girls and one boy by
Sudanese Armed Forces elements and aligned militias were documented.
Sexual violence against children remained a grave concern and the
numbers are believed to be underreported owing to a lack of access.
136. Seven incidents of attacks on schools
(two), hospitals (three) and protected personnel (two) were
attributed to the Sudanese Armed Forces (two), SPLM-N (two) and
unknown perpetrators. Two incidents occurred during clashes between
the Sudanese Armed Forces and SPLM-N. For example, on 20 January, a
hospital operated by Médecins sans frontières in the Nuba mountains
was reportedly bombed by the Sudanese Armed Forces. A medical staff
member and a teacher were reportedly killed in April in Western
Kordofan by SPLM-N.
137. The United Nations documented the abduction
of eight children, including five in Abyei, that occurred during
Misseriya attacks on Ngok Dinka villages in January and March. The
children were released and reunited with their families following
engagement by the United Nations. Three other boys were reportedly
abducted by SPLM-N, including two in South Sudan.
138. The Government continued to restrict
humanitarian access, resulting in an estimated 165,000 children being
deprived of immunization.
Darfur
139. The period witnessed continued
confrontations between government security forces and armed groups,
especially in the Jebel Marra area, which led to significant
displacement. The situation, exacerbated by aerial bombardment and
increasingly deadly intertribal clashes, resulted in grave violations
against children.
140. The country task force on monitoring and
reporting verified the recruitment of four boys by the Sudanese Armed
Forces in West Darfur, including one who reportedly participated in
fighting between the Abbas faction of the Justice and Equality
Movement (JEM) and the Sudanese Armed Forces in June. More
allegations were received involving the Sudanese Armed Forces and the
Government’s Rapid Support Forces, which could not be verified. In
addition, the United Nations documented the recruitment of six
children by JEM from refugee settlements in Unity State, South Sudan.
During her visit in March 2016, my Special Representative was given
access to 21 children detained by the National Intelligence and
Security Service since April and August 2015 for their alleged
association with JEM. The children had allegedly been recruited in
Southern Kordofan and South Sudan and used in combat in Darfur and
South Sudan. My Special Representative advocated further access by
the United Nations to the children and their release and
reunification with their families.
141. Killing and maiming accounted for the
majority of verified violations (196). Some 50 per cent of the
children were killed (21) and maimed (74) by explosive remnants of
war, but casualties also resulted from indiscriminate shooting,
intercommunal clashes in East Darfur and aerial bombardments. A
number of cases in restricted areas could not be documented.
142. Forty-five incidents of sexual violence
affecting 60 children, including a boy, were verified and attributed
to unidentified armed men (35), militias (13), the Rapid Support
Forces (5), armed nomads (3), the Sudanese Armed Forces (2) and the
police and JEM-Wing for Peace (1 each). In addition, the United
Nations in South Sudan documented three incidents by JEM affecting 12
children.
143. Thirteen schools were damaged or looted by
the Central Reserve Police and the Rapid Support Forces, but also
during Sudanese Armed Forces aerial bombardments and intertribal
clashes. All but one of the incidents took place in the eastern Jebel
Marra. In two additional incidents, school personnel were threatened
by elements of the Rapid Support Forces. Two attacks on hospitals and
protected personnel were attributed to the Rapid Support Forces and
the Central Reserve Police.
144. Humanitarian access, in particular to Jebel
Marra, remained heavily restricted, which impeded efforts to reach
affected communities, including children.
145. The country task force on reporting and
monitoring engaged with armed groups and a command order prohibiting
the recruitment and use of children was issued by JEM in September.
In addition, my Special Representative met the leaders of JEM, the
Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawi and the Sudan Liberation
Army/Abdul Wahid in Austria in May, in consultations organized by the
United Nations-African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the
Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution. The leaders
of the groups issued a joint statement with a commitment to stop and
prevent grave violations against children. Lastly, in June SPLM-N
signed Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment for the Protection of
Children from the Effects of Armed Conflict.
146. In March 2016, my Special Representative
visited the Sudan and witnessed the signing of an action plan by the
Government to end and prevent child recruitment and use in its
security forces. I welcome that step and count on the Government to
ensure the swift and full implementation of the action plan.
147. The country task force on monitoring and
reporting provided technical support to government personnel and
local communities through awareness-raising, the development of
referral pathways and community-based child protection networks.
Although impunity for grave violations continued to be a concern,
there was progress, with arrests being made for sexual violence and
the killing and maiming of children. I call upon the Government to
ensure accountability for all grave violations.
Syrian Arab Republic
148. The conflict was marked by increasing
indiscriminate and disproportionate aerial bombings, especially in
the second half of the year, and the proliferation of parties
involved, including international forces. Besiegement of areas
continued to be used as a tactic of war. On 27 February 2016, a
cessation of hostilities agreement allowed the delivery of
humanitarian assistance to previously unreached areas. Owing to the
increasingly constrained monitoring environment, the figures below do
not reflect the full scale of grave violations committed by all
parties to the conflict.
149. A total of 362 cases of recruitment and use
of children were verified and attributed to ISIL (274), the Free
Syrian Army and affiliated groups (62), Liwa’ al‑Tawhid (11),
popular committees (5), Kurdish People’s Protection Units (4),
Ahrar al-Sham (3), the Nusrah Front (2) and the Army of Islam (1). Of
the verified cases, 56 per cent involved children under 15 years of
age, a significant increase compared with 2014. The payment of
salaries and ideology continued to be major influencing factors.
150. The massive recruitment and use of children
by ISIL continued. The United Nations verified the existence of
centres in rural Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr and rural Raqqah that provided
military training to at least 124 boys between 10 and 15 years of
age. Verification of the use of child foreign fighters increased
significantly, with 18 cases of children as young as 7 years of age.
The use of children as child executioners was reported and appeared
in video footage.
151. The United Nations also verified the
recruitment and use of children as young as 9 years of age by the
Free Syrian Army, and the recruitment of 11 Syrian refugee children
from neighbouring countries by Liwa’ al-Tawhid. While cases became
increasingly difficult to verify, the Kurdish People’s Protection
Units continued to recruit boys and girls as young as 14 years of age
for combat roles, with pressure and coercion by communities
reportedly a factor.
152. Recruitment and use by pro-Government
groups was verified, with five cases of boys being recruited by the
Popular Committee of Tallkalakh (Homs) to work as guards and conduct
patrols. In addition, there were allegations of the use of children
by government forces to man checkpoints.
153. The Government continued to detain children
for their alleged association with armed opposition groups, with 36
cases verified. In 28 of those cases, the children were tortured, and
one incident resulted in the child’s death in detention.
Pro‑Government groups continued to deprive children of liberty
for alleged association with opposition groups, with three cases
attributed to the Popular Committee of Bludan. There were also five
cases of ISIL depriving children of liberty owing to their
association with parties to conflict.
154. Air strikes, indiscriminate attacks on
civilian areas and objects, and complex attacks were the primary
causes of killing and maiming of children. The United Nations
verified 591 cases of children killed (269 boys, 106 girls and 196 of
unknown sex) and 555 injured (203 boys, 128 girls and 224 of unknown
sex), attributed to government forces and international forces
supporting the Government (585), ISIL (142), the Nusrah Front (23),
other armed groups (168), the international coalition against ISIL
(7), the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (2) and unknown parties
(219). Mortar, rocket and suicide attacks on government-controlled
areas resulted in the killing and maiming of 275 children (77 boys,
93 girls and 105 of unknown sex), attributed to ISIL (79), the Nusrah
Front (14) and other armed groups (167). Aerial attacks and shelling
of civilian areas by government forces and international forces
supporting the Government killed and injured 531 children, including
133 from indiscriminate barrel bombs.
155. There was a significant increase in the
number of verified cases of children killed and maimed as a result of
their association with armed groups, including while participating in
combat. Owing to the large numbers of children used by ISIL, at least
148 children were killed in ISIL military areas targeted by air
strikes by government forces, international forces supporting the
Government and the international coalition. ISIL and the Nusrah Front
continued to commit atrocities, including the execution of children.
On 5 March, the Nusrah Front executed two children during a ground
offensive on Kanafez (Hama). On 22 August, in Muh Hasan (Dayr
al-Zawr), ISIL publicly amputated limbs of a 15-year-old boy accused
of being affiliated with the Free Syrian Army.
156. Conflict-related sexual violence against
children continued to be extremely difficult to document, with no
case verified in 2015. In areas controlled by ISIL, girls reportedly
continued to be vulnerable to early and forced marriage to fighters,
while Yezidi girls captured in Iraq in 2014 were reportedly
trafficked into the Syrian Arab Republic and used as sex slaves.
157. According to the Ministry of Education,
since the beginning of the conflict, more than 6,500 schools have
been destroyed, partially damaged, used as shelters for internally
displaced persons or rendered otherwise inaccessible. The Ministry
reported that 571 students and 419 teachers had been killed in 2015.
The United Nations verified 69 attacks on educational facilities (60)
and personnel (9) attributed to government forces and pro-Government
groups (48), ISIL (11), the Nusrah Front (1), other armed groups (9)
and unknown parties (1), which killed and maimed 174 children.
158. ISIL continued to use education to
indoctrinate and recruit children. In December, it imposed new
regulations of compulsory education for all boys from grades 1 to 12,
and for girls from grades 1 to 4, which is a factor contributing to
recruitment in ISIL-controlled areas.
159. Reports of attacks on medical facilities
increased, with 122 attacks on 93 separate medical facilities and at
least 60 medical personnel targeted or killed. The United Nations
verified 41 attacks on health facilities (33) and health personnel
(8) by government forces and pro-Government groups (32), ISIL (2),
other armed groups (2) and unknown parties (5).
160. The United Nations verified eight incidents
of military use of schools by government forces in Idlib in March
(four of the schools were subsequently attacked by armed groups) and
three incidents of military use of hospitals by ISIL in Dayr al‑Zawr
and Raqqah.
161. Children continued to be abducted by
parties to the conflict, with 21 cases (15 boys, 4 girls and 2 of
unknown sex) attributed to government forces in a hostage-taking
incident (13), ISIL (5) and 1 each to the Nusrah Front, the Kurdish
People’s Protection Units and groups affiliated with the Free
Syrian Army.
162. Parties to the conflict, in particular the
Government, ISIL, the Nusrah Front and armed opposition groups,
continued to use siege and starvation as a tactic of war. In January
2016, an estimated 393,700 people were living under siege. Deaths of
children as a result of malnutrition were reported. Some 35,000
children targeted by polio vaccination campaigns could not be reached
owing to denial of vaccinations by armed groups, including ISIL. The
use of water as a weapon of war escalated significantly, with some
7.7 million civilians affected by deliberate water cuts. The United
Nations verified attacks on humanitarian facilities and attacks and
threats against humanitarian personnel.
163. I call upon the Government to respect its
obligations and take urgent action to protect civilians. Furthermore,
I urge the Kurdish People’s Protection Units and the Free Syrian
Army to end child recruitment and use, and implement the commitments
previously made.
Yemen
164. The conflict in Yemen escalated
significantly following the takeover of Sana’a by the Houthis in
September 2014 and the beginning of air strikes by the coalition led
by Saudi Arabia on 26 March 2015. Intensive aerial bombardment was
followed by ground fighting, taking a devastating toll on the
civilian population. Grave violations against children increased
dramatically as a result of the escalating conflict.
165. The United Nations documented a fivefold
increase in cases of recruitment and use of children by armed groups,
in particular following the escalation of 26 March, notwithstanding
the challenges in verifying cases owing to security and access
constraints. Of the 762 verified cases of recruitment of children
(all boys), the majority were attributed to the Houthis (72 per
cent), followed by the pro‑Government popular committees (15
per cent) and Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (9 per cent).
Recruitment was predominant in Houthi strongholds, such as Amanat
al-Asimah (103), Ta‘izz (69) and Amran (34). A shift was observed
from largely voluntary enlistment towards forced or involuntary
recruitment through coercion, including through the provision of
misleading information or incentives.
166. In 2015, 183 boys were deprived of liberty
by popular committees, owing to their association with armed groups,
predominantly in Abyan, Aden and Lahij. At least 48 children
recruited by Houthi forces were captured by popular committees and
deprived of liberty for three to five months, before being released
as part of a prisoner exchange that included adults held by popular
committees. In addition, a child in Amanat al-Asimah was accused of
planting chips in installations to be targeted by the coalition, and
deprived of liberty by the Houthis.
167. The United Nations verified a sixfold
increase in the number of children killed and maimed compared with
2014, totalling 1,953 child casualties (785 children killed and 1,168
injured). More than 70 per cent were boys. Of the casualties, 60 per
cent (510 deaths and 667 injuries) were attributed to the Saudi
Arabia-led coalition and 20 per cent (142 deaths and 247 injuries) to
the Houthis. In 324 incidents, the responsible party could not be
identified. ISIL claimed responsibility for an improvised explosive
device attack on a mosque in Amanat al-Asimah that killed seven
children and injured six, in addition to causing many adult
casualties. Of the child casualties, 60 per cent were caused by air
strikes, predominantly in Amanat al‑Asimah, Hajjah and Sa‘dah.
Significant civilian casualties, including children, as a result of
air strikes continued to be documented early in 2016. Ground fighting
accounted for 29 per cent of child casualties, with the vast majority
in Ta‘izz, Aden and Dali‘. Child casualties as a result of
landmines and explosive remnants of war were documented, with 15
children killed and 67 injured in Abyan, Aden, Amanat al‑Asimah,
Amran, Bayda’, Dali‘, Dhamar, Lahij, Ma’rib, Sa‘dah, Shabwah
and Ta‘izz.
168. The United Nations verified an incident of
sexual violence against a child by a member of an armed group.
However, it is likely that this category of violation is
underreported.
169. The United Nations verified 101 incidents
of attacks on schools and hospitals, which is double the number of
incidents verified in 2014. Of the attacks, 90 per cent caused the
partial or complete destruction of schools or health facilities,
while the remaining 10 per cent involved attacks on protected
personnel, including students. Of the attacks on schools and
hospitals, 48 per cent were attributed to the coalition, 29 per cent
to the Houthis and 20 per cent to unidentified perpetrators. More
than half of the violations occurred in the period from April to
June.
170. Fifty-nine incidents of attacks on 34
hospitals were verified, with multiple attacks on the same
facilities, especially in Aden and Ta‘izz. In Aden, six facilities
were attacked 10 times. In Ta‘izz, three health facilities were hit
in 23 separate incidents. The majority of repeated attacks were
attributed to Houthi forces. For example, the Jumhuriah hospital in
Aden was attacked three times by the Houthis in April. In addition,
coalition air strikes destroyed 15 health facilities in the
governorate of Sa‘dah.
171. The United Nations verified 42 attacks on
schools, with the largest number in Amanat al-Asimah (12), Ta‘izz
(10) and Sa‘dah (10). Of the attacks, 57 per cent were attributed
to the coalition, 16 per cent to the Houthis and 21 per cent to
unknown parties.
172. The United Nations verified 51 incidents of
military use of schools, of which the large majority (44) took place
in Ta’izz by Houthi forces (20), popular committees (8) and unknown
armed groups (16). The Houthis also used schools in Aden, Dali‘ and
Lahij, and two incidents were attributed to popular committees in
Aden and unknown armed groups in Ibb. Four incidents of military use
of hospitals were verified, of which three were attributed to the
Houthis and one to Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
173. The United Nations verified the abductions
of 11 children, all of which were attributed to the Houthis, with the
exception of a case attributed to Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.
For example, two children were abducted next to Houthi barracks in
Dali‘. The Houthis and affiliated groups requested a ransom for the
return of the children to the families, but the children were later
killed.
174. Humanitarian access was severely
restricted, with both the coalition and the Houthis imposing
obstacles to the delivery of goods and services. The United Nations
verified 16 incidents of denial of humanitarian access in Ta‘izz,
Sa‘dah, Aden and Dali‘, mostly relating to the restriction of
entry of humanitarian personnel, and threats and violence against
personnel. The majority of verified incidents were attributed to the
Houthis (11) and the coalition (3).
175. In May 2014, the Government signed an
action plan to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children.
However, implementation did not advance in the light of the
escalation of conflict. My Special Representative engaged in dialogue
with the Government, Member States and subsidiary bodies of the
Security Council to raise serious concerns about the devastating
impact of the conflict on children. I call upon all parties to
respect their international legal obligations to protect civilians
and civilian infrastructure, and encourage the inclusion of child
protection concerns in negotiations to end the conflict.
B. Situations not on the agenda of the Security
Council or
other situations
Colombia
176. Substantial progress was made in the peace
talks between the Government of Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas
Revolucionarias de Colombia — Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP). In
February, the group announced that it would stop recruiting children
under 17 years of age and intended to release children under 15 years
of age from its ranks. At the invitation of the Government, my
Special Representative twice visited Havana to engage with the
negotiating parties and facilitators on according priority to the
release and reintegration of all under-aged members of FARC-EP,
stressing that any action should be based on the principle of the
best interest of the children to ensure their protection and
successful reintegration, guarantee their rights as victims and
prevent rerecruitment by other armed actors. Early in 2016, FARC-EP
made public a commitment to ending the recruitment of children under
18 years of age and discussions on the separation of children
continued. A historic agreement on the peace agenda item relating to
victims was announced on 15 December, foreseeing the creation of a
comprehensive system of truth, justice, reparation and non-repetition
for victims, which identified children as a vulnerable group.
177. Armed violence between FARC-EP and
government forces reached its lowest level in 50 years and
displacement decreased following the unilateral ceasefire declared by
FARC-EP and the suspension of government aerial bombings.
Nevertheless, activities by the Ejército de Liberación Nacional
(ELN)4 and post-demobilization armed groups continued to cause forced
displacement.
178. The United Nations verified 289 cases of
child recruitment and use by armed groups, the majority of which were
documented following their separation and had been formerly
associated with FARC-EP (182) and ELN (74). Cases were also
attributed to the Ejército Popular de Liberación (1) and
post-demobilization and other armed groups (32).
179. The killing of 12 children and maiming of
10, mainly as a result of landmines, were verified. With 31 of its 32
departments contaminated, landmines are a serious concern for the
protection of children in Colombia. On 7 March, the Government and
FARC-EP announced that they would carry out joint humanitarian
demining initiatives (joint communiqué No. 52) and the parties began
working on pilot projects.
180. The country task force on monitoring and
reporting recorded 10 girls who were victims of sexual violence
committed by the Autodefensas Gaitanistas de Colombia (8), FARC-EP
and an unidentified perpetrator. One additional case by a member of
the Colombian military in 2012 was reported in 2015. The perpetrator
was in detention awaiting trial at the time of writing (March 2016).
181. Eleven schools were damaged in crossfire
and by landmines and explosive remnants of war. At least two teachers
were killed by unidentified armed groups and allegations of threats
against teachers by FARC-EP, ELN, the Autodefensas Gaitanistas de
Colombia and Los Rastrojos were received. In addition, there were one
case of military use of schools by FARC-EP and four cases by the
Colombian military in violation of directives issued by the Ministry
of Defence.
182. I welcome the decision of the
Constitutional Court of 18 February 2016 that children recruited by
all armed groups, including post-demobilization groups, are victims
and have the right to reparations guaranteed in the Victims’ Act
(No. 1448 of 2011). This is an important step forward that aims to
guarantee equal treatment between children associated with guerrilla
groups and those associated with post-demobilization groups, by
ensuring that every recruited child will be treated primarily as a
victim and receive adequate reintegration support.
183. There has been historic progress in
Colombia and I encourage the Government to secure guarantees for
non-repetition and pay particular attention to the specific
protection needs of indigenous children, children of African descent
and children in marginalized areas, so as to address and prevent
violations against children.
India
184. The United Nations continued to receive
reports of the recruitment and use of children as young as 6 years of
age by armed groups, including the Naxalites, in Bihar, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha and West Bengal States. Reports
indicate that children were coerced to join children’s units (“Bal
Dasta”), where they were trained and used as couriers and
informants, to plant improvised explosive devices and in front-line
operations against national security forces. For example, in April,
the Bharatiya Communist Party (Maoist) reportedly forced the
inhabitants of seven villages in Gumla district, Jharkhand State, to
hand over five children per village to join their ranks. To avoid
such forcible recruitment, families have resorted to sending children
away from home at a young age, leading to children dropping out of
school.
185. In the eastern provinces, children were
killed and injured as a result of violence and fighting between armed
groups and national security forces. In June, 12 Communist Party of
India (Maoist) fighters, including 4 children dressed in uniforms,
were killed in a joint police operation in Bhalwahi village,
Jharkhand State.
186. The abduction of children, especially
girls, by armed groups was a serious concern. Abducted children are
subjected to further grave violations and abuses, and have been
forced to serve in combat functions, exposed to sexual violence and,
reportedly, used as human shields. In April, Maoists reportedly
abducted five girls aged between 10 and 13 years of age from Karcha
village, West Bengal State, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
Nigeria
187. Early in 2015, Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna
Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, renamed Islamic State’s West African
Province and commonly known as Boko Haram, controlled large swathes
of territory in the north-eastern States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
In response, the Nigerian security forces intensified their military
operations, in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force, as
well as local pro-Government vigilante groups, retaking control of
territory. According to the Nigerian security forces, only two local
government areas were under Boko Haram control (Abadam and Mobar in
Borno State) by December.
188. As Boko Haram increasingly resorted to
hit-and-run attacks on “soft targets”, the group also intensified
its operations, including suicide attacks, which have spread from
north-east Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad and the Niger, causing a
significant number of casualties among civilians and large-scale
displacement. Consequently, by the end of December, in excess of 1.8
million persons had been displaced within Nigeria, including more
than 1 million children, and 220,304 were registered as refugees in
neighbouring countries.
189. The United Nations verified the recruitment
and use of 278 children (143 boys and 135 girls) by Boko Haram (225)
and the Civilian Joint Task Force (53). Twenty-one girls were used in
suicide attacks claimed by Boko Haram, 11 of which were documented in
the fourth quarter. Children were used in suicide attacks not only in
Nigeria, but also in Cameroon and Chad, with cases also reported
early in 2016. Of the 1,010 children (422 boys and 588 girls)
encountered or rescued during the course of military operations in
north-east Nigeria, 204 (117 girls and 87 boys) had been recruited
and used by Boko Haram. With regards to the Civilian Joint Task
Force, children were used to man checkpoints and as messengers and
spies.
190. Cases of 129 children detained for alleged
association with Boko Haram were documented (69 boys and 60 girls),
including 85 held in military barracks in Maiduguri, 22 at the Aguata
camp in eastern Nigeria by the Office of the National Security
Adviser, after passing through the Chad security corridor, and 21
girls in Lagos detained by the Nigeria Department of State Services
and the Nigerian security forces. On 1 December, an 11-year-old boy
was arrested in Maiduguri, reportedly for being a suspected “Boko
Haram terrorist”, and his picture displayed on posters disseminated
throughout Nigeria. The poster appeared to include at least three
other boys. In November, the Nigerian security forces handed over to
the Governor of Borno State 48 boys and 10 girls who had been in
military detention in Maiduguri since August for alleged association
with Boko Haram.
191. At least 5,480 persons were reportedly
killed in 352 incidents, a decrease of 26 per cent compared with
2014. The United Nations verified the killing of 244 children (109
boys and 135 girls), mostly in Borno (130), Adamawa (54) and Yobe
(48). Sixty-five of them were killed in 13 suicide attacks committed
by children. A total of 112 children (54 boys and 58 girls) were also
maimed.
192. In May and June, 253 children (84 boys and
169 girls) encountered during military operations participated in an
“deradicalization programme” run by the Office of the National
Security Adviser in a facility in Kaduna State, to which the United
Nations was given access in June. The Office reported that four girls
were pregnant as a result of sexual violence during their captivity
and that all 68 mothers of the 112 children under 5 years of age had
been either raped and/or were wives of Boko Haram members. The
facility was closed down on 6 November, but it was unclear whether
the women and children who returned to their communities or camps for
displaced persons received reintegration support.
193. Since 2014, an estimated 1,500 schools have
been destroyed in north-east Nigeria, including 524 in Borno State.
This has prevented access to education for more than 400,000
children. Five schools were reportedly used for military purposes by
Boko Haram in Bauchi State, and three schools by the Nigerian
security forces since April 2014 in Maiduguri and Chibok Local
Government Area, Borno State. To strengthen the protection of
education, Nigeria endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration, agreeing to
use the Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from
Military Use during Armed Conflict.
194. Abduction by Boko Haram continued, with 162
cases documented, of which the United Nations verified 26 (15 boys
and 11 girls). In addition, 693 children encountered or rescued
during military operations (327 boys and 366 girls) had reportedly
been abducted. There is no indication whether any of the Chibok
schoolgirls, abducted in 2014, were among those rescued.
195. Engagement with the Nigerian authorities
continued, including on the handover of children encountered during
operations by the Nigerian security forces to civilian authorities.
In December, the United Nations assisted the National Human Rights
Commission and the Nigerian security forces in organizing a workshop
to review the military code of conduct and rules of engagement for
operations against Boko Haram. With regard to efforts to combat
impunity, I welcome the establishment of a human rights desk at the
army headquarters tasked to investigate human rights violations
committed by the military, and I encourage the inclusion of dedicated
child protection capacity to investigate grave violations committed
against children. I am concerned by the number of children recruited
and used by the Civilian Joint Task Force and I call upon the
Government to take swift action to prevent further cases.
Pakistan
196. In 2015, attacks by armed groups in
Pakistan declined by 48 per cent compared with 2014. The majority of
attacks were attributed to TTP, predominantly in Baluchistan. The
Government’s military operations in North Waziristan against armed
groups continued throughout 2015.
197. Reports were received of the use of
religious schools for recruitment and military training of children
by TTP and other armed groups (see S/2015/336).
198. Child casualties were reported as a result
of indiscriminate attacks and armed violence. For example, on 4
January, four children were killed and 10 injured when an improvised
explosive device detonated at a volleyball match in Orakzai Agency,
Federally Administered Tribal Areas. In October, a suicide attack on
a religious procession in Jacobabad, Sindh Province, killed 18
children and injured more than 40 others. Further indiscriminate
attacks occurred early in 2016, when a large bomb blast claimed by a
TTP faction killed more than 20 children in Lahore on 27 March.
199. Fourteen attacks on educational
institutions across Pakistan were recorded, a decline of 65 per cent
compared with 2014. They included the destruction of schools,
including girls’ schools, and occurred mostly in the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas (eight), Sindh (four) and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (two).
200. Notwithstanding the continued targeting of
health personnel, humanitarian access to children increased, in
particular for polio workers in the Federally Administered Tribal
Areas. Attacks on polio workers continued, however, with 11 people
killed in six attacks. For example, four members of a polio team were
killed following their abduction in Northern Baluchistan. In
addition, 76 security incidents, including 42 cases of threats and
intimidation against polio workers, were reported throughout
Pakistan.
201. I am concerned by reports of children being
sentenced to death by military courts on terrorism-related charges. I
urge the Government to adhere to its obligations under the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits capital punishment for
offences committed by persons under 18 years of age.
Philippines
202. There were limited large-scale armed
engagements in 2015. However, sporadic low-intensity clashes
continued to affect children, predominantly in Mindanao. An increased
number of grave violations were documented in indigenous communities
resulting from the conflict between the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the New People’s Army (NPA), increasingly involving
the Alamara and Magahat paramilitary groups with alleged links to the
Armed Forces of the Philippines.
203. The United Nations verified the recruitment
and use of 17 children, including 15 children used as human shields,
by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in one incident, and two
recruited by NPA. Unverified reports indicated that the Abu Sayyaf
Group recruited around 30 children in Basilan in April.
204. Two cases of detention of children for
their alleged association with armed groups were verified. In
January, a 17-year-old boy was detained and questioned by the Armed
Forces of the Philippines for alleged association with NPA in the
Davao region.
205. The United Nations verified the killing of
6 children and the injury of 25. A third of the casualties were
attributed to the Abu Sayyaf Group. For example, in May, a boy was
beheaded by the Group in Basilan for allegedly spying. Two verified
incidents were attributed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
involving the killing of two children and injury of two others. On 18
August, in Bukidnon Province, northern Mindanao, the Armed Forces of
the Philippines killed five family members in front of their house,
including two boys aged 14 and 17 years. Two injuries were attributed
to the Magahat paramilitary group, one killing to NPA and one injury
to the National Police. The other 13 casualties were attributed to
crossfire or explosive remnants of war.
206. The United Nations verified the rape of a
14-year-old girl by three soldiers in three separate incidents
between May and July. The soldiers were court-martialled and their
superior was recommended for administrative sanctions. However, the
civilian criminal proceedings for rape were dismissed owing to
insufficient evidence.
207. Almost all verified cases of attacks on
schools and education personnel took place in indigenous communities.
Private schools run by non-governmental organizations were
systematically targeted for alleged links to NPA. Five incidents were
attributed to the Magahat paramilitary group, three to the Armed
Forces of the Philippines, two to the Alamara paramilitary group and
one each to NPA and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. In a
particularly grave incident, the director of a school run by a
non-governmental organization was killed in an indigenous community
in Caraga by the Magahat paramilitary group. No arrests have been
made, despite warrants being issued. The United Nations verified 10
incidents of military use of schools; 6 incidents were attributed to
the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 3 incidents jointly to the Armed
Forces of the Philippines and paramilitary groups and 1 to the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
208. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front
demonstrated a strong commitment to the action plan to end and
prevent child recruitment and use, achieving significant progress.
The majority of the benchmarks have been reached and, in November,
its leaders agreed on the steps required to identify and disengage
any children associated with it. The full implementation of the
action plan also requires safeguards to prevent recruitment and
association, linked to the implementation of existing accountability
mechanisms. Services to minimize the risk of reassociation of
children will also be important.
209. In an encouraging development, in 2015,
UNICEF renewed engagement with the National Democratic Front of the
Philippines/NPA on its declaration and programme of action for the
rights, protection and welfare of children.
210. The United Nations continues to work with
the Armed Forces of the Philippines on its 2012 strategic plan on
prevention and response to grave child rights violations in
situations of armed conflict to ensure that it strengthens the
protection of children in the light of continuing violations
involving the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Thailand
211. Violence in southern Thailand continued,
notwithstanding the reinitiation of dialogue between the Government
and an umbrella organization of armed groups.
212. Although no cases of recruitment and use of
children were reported, according to information provided by the
Government, an armed group trained children as young as 13 years of
age in the use of weapons in Narathiwat Province early in January
2016. The United Nations continued to receive reports of children
being detained for alleged association with armed groups.
213. The United Nations received reports of the
killing of 4 children and the injury of 15 in shootings and
improvised explosive device attacks in Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala
Provinces. This is a significant decrease compared with 2014 (23
children killed and 65 injured).
214. Schools and education personnel continued
to be targeted by armed groups. According to the Ministry of
Education, as at November, two teachers and a student had been
killed, and a teacher and two students injured, in such attacks. In
addition, on 11 September, a bomb attack at the entrance of a
community school in Pattani Province injured five students between 3
and 15 years of age; a criminal investigation is continuing. The
authorities have provided security escorts to teachers in affected
areas.
215. I welcome and encourage the continuing
dialogue between the Government and the United Nations country team
on strengthening the protection of children in the southern border
provinces and on access to those areas to conduct independent
verification and reporting of alleged violations against children. In
December, during a consultation on the dialogue process, convened by
the Internal Security Operation Command for Southern Thailand, civil
society organizations and the United Nations raised the need to
include children in the agenda of the dialogue process to strengthen
their protection in the south, which I strongly support.
IV. Recommendations
216. I am deeply concerned at the scale and
increasing severity of the grave violations that were committed in
2015, including continuing large-scale abduction, and call upon all
parties to immediately end and take all measures to prevent grave
violations against children.
217. I urge Member States to ensure that their
engagement in hostilities and responses to all threats to peace and
security, including in efforts to counter violent extremism, are
conducted in full compliance with international humanitarian law,
human rights law and refugee law. It is unacceptable that the failure
to do so has resulted in numerous violations of children’s rights.
Member States should include specific mitigating measures for the
protection of children in their responses, in particular when
conducting aerial bombing campaigns or ground operations. I also call
upon all parties to conflict to refrain from using explosive weapons
with wide-area effects in populated areas, and to consider making a
commitment to this effect.
218. I encourage the Member States concerned by
the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign to redouble their efforts
to fully implement their action plans in the coming year and invite
regional organizations, the international community and all relevant
partners to provide increased support to those making progress.
219. I urge Member States to hand over children
encountered during military operations to civilian child protection
actors as soon as possible, in accordance with their international
obligations and the best interests of the child. It is crucial that
there be appropriate resources for the reintegration of the children
separated from parties to conflict, with attention given to
psychosocial support and the needs of girls.
220. I call upon Member States to treat children
associated with armed groups, including those engaged in violent
extremism, as victims entitled to full protection of their human
rights and to urgently put in place alternatives to the detention and
prosecution of children.
221. I call upon Member States to investigate
and prosecute perpetrators of grave violations against children. I
encourage the donor community to support national justice systems in
conflict and post-conflict situations, including by providing
resources and technical capacity.
222. I encourage the Security Council to
highlight, in its resolutions and debates, the prevention of
displacement, the rights of children displaced by conflict and the
obligations of States of origin, transit and destination.
223. I encourage Member States and regional
organizations involved in negotiating cessation of hostilities or
peace agreements to include specific child protection provisions to
maximize opportunities to engage with parties and enhance the
protection of children.
224. I call upon the Security Council to
continue to request the deployment of dedicated child protection
capacity to United Nations peace operations, in order to mainstream
child protection, conduct dialogue on action plans, release and
reintegrate children and for monitoring and reporting.
V. Observations
225. I am shocked by the scale of the grave
violations committed by parties to conflict in many situations,
including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, the Syrian Arab
Republic and Yemen. Noted herein are the complex environments created
by aerial operations by some Member States’ armed forces and
international coalitions, which killed and maimed many children.
State-allied armed groups and militias have also increasingly been
used to fight in support of government forces. In some cases,
State-allied armed groups have recruited and used children and
committed other violations. Furthermore, I am gravely concerned at
the increasing prevalence of deprivation of liberty of children
allegedly associated with parties to conflict.
226. Member States should consider, as a matter
of priority, changes in policies, military procedures and
legislation, where necessary, to prevent violations and protect
children. I have previously stated that those who engage in military
action resulting in numerous violations of children’s rights will
find themselves under scrutiny by the United Nations. Accountability
remains a key priority and a shared responsibility in order to end
and prevent grave violations against children.
227. I reiterate that all parties to conflict
identified in the present report should work with my Special
Representative to protect children caught up in conflict.
VI. Lists in the annexes to the present report
228. In accordance with Security Council
resolution 2225 (2015), Al-Shabaab (Somalia), Boko Haram (Nigeria),
LRA (Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of the Congo),
ISIL (Iraq) and the Taliban (Afghanistan) are listed for abduction of
children. Those five groups have committed patterns of abduction of
children over a number of years. SPLA (South Sudan) is also listed
for abduction as a result of hundreds of violations attributed to it
in 2015. Other parties have been added to existing trigger
violations. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Raia Mutomboki5
is listed for the recruitment and use of and sexual violence against
children. In Nigeria, the Civilian Joint Task Force is listed for the
recruitment and use of children, with more than 50 verified cases in
2015. In South Sudan, SPLA is now also listed for sexual violence
against children, with more than 100 incidents attributed to
government forces. In Yemen, owing to the very large number of
violations attributed to the two parties, the Houthis/Ansar Allah and
the Saudi Arabia-led coalition are listed for killing and maiming and
attacks on schools and hospitals.
229. Other changes in the lists resulted from
changes in the respective situations. With the removal of the
specific regional section in the report, the Lord’s Resistance
Army, in addition to being listed for abduction, is now listed in the
Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for
the recruitment and use and killing and maiming of, and sexual
violence against, children. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Mayi Mayi “Lafontaine” and former elements of the Coalition des
patriotes résistants congolais are now referred to as the Union des
patriotes congolais pour la paix also known as Mayi Mayi
“Lafontaine”, while Mayi Mayi Simba “Morgan” is now referred
to as Mayi Mayi Simba.
Annex I
List of parties that recruit or use children,
kill or maim children, commit rape and other forms of sexual violence
against children, or engage in attacks on schools and/or hospitals,
or abduct children in situations of armed conflict on the agenda of
the Security Council*
Parties in Afghanistan
1. Afghan National Police, including the Afghan
Local Policea,•
2. Haqqani Networka,b
3. Hezb-i-Islami of Gulbuddin Hekmatyara,b
4. Taliban forces, including the Tora Bora
Front, Jama’at al-Da’wa ila al-Qur’an wal-Sunna and the Latif
Mansur Networka,b,d,e
Parties in the Central African Republic
1. Former Séléka coalition and associated
armed groupsa,b,c,d
2. Local defence militias known as the
anti-balakaa,b,c
3. Lord’s Resistance Armya,b,c,e
Parties in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo
1. Allied Democratic Forcesa,b,d
2. Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (Forces armées de la République Démocratique du
Congo)a,c,•
3. Forces démocratiques de libération du
Rwandaa,c,d
4. Forces de résistance patriotiques en
Ituria,c,d
5. Lord’s Resistance Armya,b,c,e
6. Mayi Mayi Alliance des patriotes pour un
Congo libre et souverain “Colonel Janvier”a
7. Union des patriotes congolais pour la paix
(UPCP) also known as Mayi Mayi “Lafontaine”a
8. Mayi Mayi Simbaa,c
9. Mayi Mayi Kata Katangaa
10. Nduma Defence of Congo/Chekaa,b
11. Mayi Mayi Nyaturaa
12. Raia Mutombokia,c
Parties in Iraq
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levanta,b,c,d,e
Parties in Mali
1. Mouvement national de libération de
l’Azawada,c
2. Mouvement pour l’unicité et le jihad en
Afrique de l’Ouesta,c
3. Ansar Eddinea,c
Parties in Myanmar
1. Democratic Karen Benevolent Armya
2. Kachin Independence Armya
3. Karen National Liberation Armya
4. Karen National Liberation Army Peace Councila
5. Karenni Armya
6. Shan State Army-Southa
7. Tatmadaw Kyi, including integrated border
guard forcesa,•
8. United Wa State Armya
Parties in Somalia
1. Al-Shabaaba,b,e
2. Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama’a (ASWJ)a
3. Somali National Armya,b,•
Parties in South Sudan
1. Sudan People’s Liberation Armya,b,c,e,•
2. Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in
Oppositiona,b,•
3. White Armya
Parties in the Sudan
1. Government security forces, including the
Sudanese Armed Forces, the Popular Defence Forces and the Sudan
Police Forcesa,•
2. Justice and Equality Movementa
3. Pro-Government militiasa
4. Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahida
5. Sudan Liberation Army/Minni Minawia
6. Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-Northa
Parties in the Syrian Arab Republic
1. Ahrar al-Shama,b
2. Free Syrian Army — affiliated groupsa
3. Government forces, including the National
Defence Forces and the shabbiha militiab,c,d
4. Islamic State in Iraq and the Levanta,b,c,d
5. Nusrah Fronta,b
6. People’s Protection Unitsa
Parties in Yemen
1. Houthis/Ansar Allaha,b,d
2. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula/Ansar
al-Shariaa
3. Government forces, including the Yemeni Armed
Forces, the First Armoured Division, the Military Police, the special
security forces and Republican Guardsa,•
4. Pro-Government militias, including the
Salafists and Popular Committeesa
5. Saudi Arabia-led coalitionb,d
Annex II
List of parties that recruit or use children,
kill or maim children, commit rape and other forms of sexual violence
against children, or engage in attacks on schools and/or hospitals,
or abduct children in situations of armed conflict not on the agenda
of the Security Council, or in other situations*
Parties in Colombia
1. Ejército de Liberación Nacionala
2. Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia —
Ejército del Puebloa
Parties in Nigeria
1. Civilian Joint Task Forcea
2. Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati
wal-Jihad, also known as Boko Harama,b,d,e
Parties in the Philippines
1. Abu Sayyaf Groupa
2. Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fightersa
3. Moro Islamic Liberation Fronta,•
4. New People’s Armya
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