The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 434 ^th meeting, held a public meeting on May 8, 2014 on the theme: "Children in armed conflicts in Africa: Communication of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC). "

The meeting followed the 420 ^th meeting of the PSC, held in Addis Ababa, February 18, 2014, with the ACERWC, who stressed the urgent need to respect the rights of children, especially in countries experiencing conflict.

The Council followed statements by HE M Smail Chergui, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, SE Anthony Mothae Maruping, AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs in his capacity as Commissioner of the AU acting for Social Affairs, Professor Benyam Dawit Mezmur, President ACERWC, Ms. Leila Zerrougui Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children in Armed Conflict (SRSG), Ms. Leila Pakkala, UNICEF Regional Director for Africa Eastern and Southern Africa, Mr. John Graham, Country Director of Save the Children, as well as Alhaji Babah Sawaneh, a former child soldier. Statements were also made by representatives of Member States, bilateral and multilateral partners of the AU, as well as representatives of civil society.

Recalling Decision EX.CL/Dec.712 (XXI) adopted by the Executive Board in June 2012, at its 21 ^th Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, in which the Council requested the PSC to take into account the rights the child's agenda and actively cooperate with the ACERWC in its efforts to promote the welfare of children in Africa, participants commended the Council for a public meeting devoted to children in armed conflict Africa and encouraged the Council to hold these sessions regularly.

Participants and the Council recognized that, despite the global commitment to the protection of children affected by armed conflict and progress to strengthen existing legal frameworks, serious violations of children's rights remains an urgent and serious concern in African countries affected by conflict. Moreover, the implementation of these instruments and processing commitments into concrete actions still remains a challenge on the continent. In this regard, the meeting noted that it is the primary responsibility of governments to ensure that children are protected and that their rights and welfare are promoted. They also urged all AU Member States that have not yet done so to ratify and fully implement the relevant AU instruments and international protection on the protection of rights and welfare of the child.

Participants and the Council agreed that the provision of direct services, such as education and psycho-social support, capacity building of bondholders, including governments, ministries, police, community networks of child protection, the creation of partnerships with community structures, a prioritization of children's participation in their own protection, must all ensure the protection of children in armed conflicts on the continent.

 

Participants and the Council expressed their sympathy to the families of over 200 Nigerian girls who were abducted from their school in the North East of Nigeria and the Federal Government of Nigeria. They urged those who are responsible for their removal to immediately release unharmed, and the Nigerian authorities to ensure that they are properly returned to their families. In this regard, the participants and the Council have called for concerted efforts to prevent violations of children's rights and the need for members of the AU to take strong sanctions against the perpetrators of violations against children States.

Participants and the Council stressed the need for governments to institutionalize the protection of children in their disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) and security sector reform (SSR), and to include the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in particular in countries emerging from conflict.

Accordance with continental and international instruments, in particular Article 22 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the participants and the Council called on all state and non state actors to comply strictly with international humanitarian law . In this regard, the participants and the Council welcomed the declaration signed in September 2013 between the AU and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children in armed conflict, to integrate the protection of children in all activities peace and security of the AU. Participants also welcomed the measures taken by the AU in the integration of child protection in its operations in support of peace.

Participants and the Council called on Member States of the AU to extend a standing invitation to ACERWC to visit their respective countries and to cooperate with the Committee to ensure that there is no impunity for violations the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Participants and the Council welcomed the campaign "Children, not soldiers" of the SRSG and UNICEF to end the recruitment of children by government forces in 2016 and called the SRSG / CAAC, the AU Commission and ACERWC to develop a partnership for the success of this campaign.

Participants and the Council recommended the appointment of a Special Envoy of the AU for children in Africa to support efforts in the field of protection of children's rights in armed conflicts on the continent. They also called for capacity ACERWC, as well as increased efforts in mobilizing financing activities related to the protection of children, including within the framework of the Action Plan 2013-2023. In the same context, they stressed the need to strengthen the capacity of child protection centers and create new ones where they do not yet exist.

The Council welcomed the call for holding a public meeting on a regular basis on the protection of children's rights in the context of armed conflict and endorsed the need for "Africa Fit for children ".     

The Council agreed to remain seized of the matter.        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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