Iran urges UN to help protect children via efforts to end armed conflicts

Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on “Children and Armed Conflict,” Majid Takht-e Ravanchi warned that children were constantly facing a host of “egregious violations” of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts.

“Meanwhile, children who are refugees, internally displaced, or stateless as a result of conflicts are more likely to endure such severe violations and other major abuses, such as recruitment and usage, sexual violence, trafficking, and detention during armed conflicts,” he said.

In particular, the senior diplomat highlighted the plight of children in the conflict-torn countries of Afghanistan, Yemen, and Palestine.

He said, “Putting an end to ongoing conflicts, preventing their re-emergence, and guaranteeing the conflicting parties’ full and effective compliance with international humanitarian law are all necessary to protect children in armed conflicts.

Additionally, it is imperative to address the conflicts’ underlying causes.”
“Children have frequently been recruited in conflicts in order to support their families financially, and problems like poverty, lack of access to quality education and employment opportunities, as well as illegal unilateral sanctions and economic blockade, continue to play a significant role in such grave violations,” Takht-e Ravanchi added.

He called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to “conduct an assessment of the main causes of the conflicts, focusing on the detrimental effects of unilateral sanctions on the protection of children in such situations.”