Sixth Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict in the Sudan
Despite substantial progress in ending the recruitment and use of children by parties to conflict, including Government forces, boys and girls in the Sudan continued to endure the dramatic effects of conflict-related violence, highlighted the sixth report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) in the Sudan.
A total of 734 grave violations against children were verified in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, Blue Nile and Abyei Area between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019, the most prevalent being the killing and maiming of children (469). Overall, four children were verified as recruited or used by the Sudan Liberation Army/ Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW).
“The successful completion of the Action Plan with the United Nations by the Sudanese Armed Forces that led to their delisting for the recruitment and use of children in 2018 marked an important step for the protection of children in the Sudan,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba. “It is positive that the institutional mechanisms established by the Action Plan remain in place and continue to be the framework of cooperation between the Sudanese authorities and the UN to prevent violations.”
“Nonetheless, efforts to better protect children must continue and I call for the translation of the gains of the completed Action Plan into a national prevention plan to prevent all six grave violations against children, particularly in this political transition period.” She further expressed concerns over the allegations of recruitment and use of children by listed armed groups and the Rapid Security Forces (RSF) and called for their investigation, in cooperation with the United Nations.
© Article: United Nations Office of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict – Image credit: UNICEF