Vietnam attends UNSC meeting on protection of children amid COVID-19 and armed conflicts

The meeting was jointly held by UNSC members Estonia, Norway, France, Tunisia, the Republic of Ireland, the UK, the United States, Kenya, Niger, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vietnam, along with Belgium, Sweden, Germany, and Canada. The event saw the participation of representatives from 32 countries, in addition to a number of UN agencies and non-governmental organisations.

According to Virginia Gamba, special representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused activities aimed at supporting children in armed conflicts delayed. In addition, it has also had an adverse impact on the UN's capacity to supervise and verify serious violations which occur against children and preventing the UN's efforts at national level in terms of contacting parties involved in conflicts to end and avoid violations against children.

Gamba cited the UN's statistics which indicate that children who become victims of recruitment to armed forces and other groups can be forced not only to engage in combat, but also to work as lookouts, porters, cooks, or are used for sexual purposes.

Participants at the meeting highlighted the challenges related to the need to protect children amid armed conflicts, stating that the pandemic is causing more difficulties in these prevention activities.

Members at the event sought solutions to the problems, including Governments taking responsibility to protect and ensure the rights of children, as well as boosting international co-operation, especially in terms of finance in work taking place at national and regional levels.

In his speech, Ambassador Quy expressed his deep concern regarding the losses and disadvantages facing children amid armed conflicts, asserting that COVID-19 is contributing to worsening the situation and causing more difficulties for the supervision and reporting of the UN in this field.

He underlined the need for countries in areas of armed conflicts to bear primary responsibility for meeting the fundamental demands of children and abiding by regulations with regard international humanity and human rights.

The Vietnamese diplomat stated that in order to settle the root cause of conflicts, it is necessary to ensure children’s access to education and to enhance the empowerment of children, which will in turn help them to nurture and develop a culture of peace.

Furthermore, parties joining the armed conflicts must immediately stop and prevent all attacks targeting schools, he stated, underscoring the significance of ramping up international co-operation to boost the efficiency of supervision over measures to protect children amid armed conflicts.