UN chief calls for protection for children caught in armed conflicts

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called on the international community to act collectively to thwart the growing number of children affected by armed conflicts.

"We agree that we cannot tolerate a world in which children are killed and maimed, where they are abducted, subject to sexual violence, forced to become soldiers, and where schools and hospitals are attacked," said Ban while addressing a Security Council meeting on the myriad horrors faced by children caught up in wars worldwide.

Nonetheless, he noted, "increasingly, children are snatched from a normal life of school and family, abducted by armed groups and thrown into a life of violence and horror."

"The world's children are increasingly under threat in theaters of war," Ban said. "Last year was considered one of the worst ever for children in areas affected by conflict."

According to UN figures, an estimated 230 million children reside in countries and areas where armed groups are fighting and up to 15 million children were impacted by the violence.

These children face some of the worst human rights violations a child can experience, including death, injury, imprisonment and torture, sexual abuse, forced recruitment and abduction, Ban said.

"The children of the world should be students, not soldiers," he said. "They deserve to grow up in communities that offer them safety and the chance to reach their full potential."

"We must act collectively, and expeditiously," Ban said, urging the international community to "always ensure that the children's best interests are at the heart of any response we undertake." Endite