S/PV.8591 Children and Armed Conflict 02/08/2019
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United Nations S/ PV.8591 Security Council Provisional Seventy-fourth year 8591st meeting Friday, 2 August 2019, 10.15 a.m. New York President: Mr. Czaputowicz/Ms. Wronecka .................... (Poland) Members: Belgium ....................................... Mrs. Van Vlierberge China ......................................... Mr. Zhang Jun Côte d’Ivoire ................................... Mr. Ipo Dominican Republic .............................. Mrs. Cedano Equatorial Guinea ............................... Mr. Ndong Mba France ........................................ Mr. De Rivière Germany ...................................... Mr. Schulz Indonesia. Mr. Syihab Kuwait ........................................ Mr. Alotaibi Peru .......................................... Mr. Meza-Cuadra Russian Federation ............................... Mr. Polyanskiy South Africa ................................... Mr. Matjila United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .. Ms. Pierce United States of America .......................... Ms. Norman-Chalet Agenda Children and armed conflict Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (S/2019/509) Letter dated 30 July 2019 from the Permanent Representative of Poland to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (S/2019/605) This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 ([email protected]). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 19-24353 (E) *1924353* S/PV.8591 Children and armed conflict 02/08/2019 The meeting was called to order at 10.15 a.m. following individuals to participate in this meeting: Mr. Gerton van den Akker, Chargé d’Affaires ad Adoption of the agenda interim of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations; and Ms. Clare Hutchinson, NATO The agenda was adopted. Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. Children and armed conflict I propose that the Council invite the observer of the Report of the Secretary-General on Children Observer State of the Holy See to the United Nations and armed conflict (S/2019/509) to participate in this meeting, in accordance with the Letter dated 30 July 2019 from the Permanent provisional rules of procedure and the previous practice Representative of Poland to the United Nations in this regard. addressed to the Secretary-General There being no objection, it is so decided. (S/2019/605) The Security Council will now begin its The President: In accordance with rule 37 of the consideration of the item on its agenda. Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Afghanistan, Andorra, Angola, I wish to draw the attention of Council members Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, to document S/2019/509, which contains the report of Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, the Secretary-General on Children and armed conflict, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, and document S/2019/605, which contains a letter dated Guatemala, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, 30 July 2019 from the Permanent Representative of Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Poland addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting Kenya, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, a concept paper on the item under consideration. Maldives, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, I now give the floor to Ms. Gamba. Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Ms. Gamba: On behalf of the Secretary-General, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, the Sudan, I would like to thank the Republic of Poland, and Switzerland, the Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Foreign Minister Czaputowicz personally, for holding Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, this open debate. It is vitally important that we take this the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Viet Nam and opportunity to come together and focus on the current Yemen to participate in this meeting. plight of children affected by armed conflict across the four corners of the globe. I propose that the Council invite the observer of the Observer State of Palestine to the United Nations As many in the Chamber will be aware, 2019 marks to participate in this meeting, in accordance with the 20 years since the Security Council first adopted a provisional rules of procedure and the previous practice resolution on children and armed conflict (resolution in this regard. 1261 (1999)) and the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. There being no objection, it is so decided. The date of 4 August is also the 10th anniversary of In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s the adoption resolution 1882 (2009), in which this provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following organ decided it was necessary to increase the focus briefers to participate in this meeting: Ms. Virginia of the children and armed conflict mandate on killing, Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary- maiming and rape and other forms of sexual violence. General for Children and Armed Conflict; Ms. Henrietta Today’s debate therefore provides a milestone where we Fore, Executive Director of the United Nations can take stock of our collective efforts to date. Children’s Fund; Ms. Mariatu Kamara, UNICEF Given these important anniversaries, I am very Canada Ambassador; and Mr. Majok Peter Awan, child pleased that we have Ms. Kamara and Mr. Awan protection professional. here today to provide us with their insight from their In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s experiences in Sierra Leone and South Sudan. I hope provisional rules of procedure, I also invite the that they will both talk about the impact of conflict of 2/90 19-24353 02/08/2019 Children and armed conflict S/PV.8591 children and also inspire us with guidance. We need to can provide support, including the Council, to do better understand how we can build upon and improve their utmost to ensure the full implementation of the current work on the ground and better utilize child these commitments. When we have worked together protection expertise to end and prevent violations. I effectively, we will see real tangible progress through a extend a very special thank you to Peter and Mariatu reduction of violations and the release of children. for being here today. Regional and subregional work is a key element of To give my own insight, last month I travelled to this direct engagement. I take this opportunity to thank Mali to assess first-hand the situation of children and the Council for giving us the tools last year, within the advocate for increased protection measures for boys and context of resolution 2427 (2018), to pursue prevention girls. My visit was the first of a Special Representative of plans with these entities. I hope that soon we will the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict have new instruments in these forums to aid our other to the country. I travelled to Mopti, in the centre of the engagement on the protection of children. This high- country, a region recently affected by dramatic spikes of level political engagement supports the cornerstone of violence. I met representatives of the authorities, child our endeavours — child protection efforts in situations victims of the conflict and members of the Dogon and of armed conflict. Access and actors in the field must be Peul communities. Time constraints meant that a joint the priority to protect children and prevent violations. meeting with representatives of the two communities We cannot achieve anything without the tireless work was necessary, and it was held. This format led to a on the ground of so many colleagues and partners — the very constructive engagement. I was struck by their sterling work of UNICEF in particular. common recognition of the importance of protecting children from violence. It was clear to me that the For our part, in late 2018 I launched the ACT to protection of children can act as a confidence-building Protect campaign with the African and European measure between opposing parties. It can demonstrably Unions. This campaign is aimed at supporting the work and positively impact peace processes and agreements, on the ground and has already been launched in Mali as we recently saw with the commitments of the two and utilized in Somalia. I hope that we can count on the groups to ceasing hostilities last week. support of the Security Council and individual Member States as we push to create a tangible difference for all This trip focused on the fundamentals of the children affected by the six grave violations. mandate I represent. Over the time I have been Special Representative, I have expended much energy Unfortunately, for all our efforts to date we are in engaging with parties to conflict where there is a not yet at a point where we can be confident that the willingness to engage. This has inspired positive situation is improving year upon year. The report before results. In many situations where the monitoring and the Council (S/2019/509) speaks for itself. Although we reporting mechanism has been in place, Governments have fewer violations across four categories, we have have put in place clear measures, such as establishing an increase in killing and maiming and similar levels of interministerial committees to interact with the sexual violence. In last year’s report (S/2018/465) two country task force, or passed laws on the protection figures stand at very high levels: one for killing and of children. This has galvanized action and allowed maiming, with over 12,000 children affected by these progress to develop quickly as a direct result of high- violations, and one for children who benefitted from level engagement.