Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
In Syria, despite all the efforts of various actors, armed violation has inte...
In Syria, despite all the efforts of various actors, armed violation has intensified. The killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools and hospitals continue unabated. Children are recruited and used by various armed groups, and are often lured into battle, where they are among the first to die. Reports of organized sexual violence as a tactic of humiliation persist. While humanitarian access in limited areas is a glimmer of hope in the darkest of times, the hardships of children have barely improved. We cannot afford a lost generation in Syria.
It is also important to mainstream child protection into peacekeeping and spe...
It is also important to mainstream child protection into peacekeeping and special political missions through the predeployment training of troops. I cannot stress enough in this regard the importance of knowing that the Security Council stands behind this. We owe it to the children affected by armed conflict and to the dedicated men and women putting their own lives at risk to ensure that the voices of these children reach our ears.