Action Plan signed for Syrian children behalf

The Force Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, General Mazloum Abdi and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, signed an Action Plan to end and prevent recruitment and use of children, 29 June, 2019. The Force Commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, General Mazloum Abdi and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, signed an Action Plan to end and prevent recruitment and use of children, 29 June, 2019. © Jean Marc Ferre | UN

1 July 2019

Syrian Democratic Forces signed the United Nation Action Plan to prevent recruitment of Syrian children as soldiers


On Monday 1 July, it was announced that, on 29 June, the United Nations (UN) signed an Action Plan for children protection with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

In order to prevent the recruitment of syrian children as soldiers, Action Plan was signed by Virginia Gamba Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) and Mazloum Abdu, SDF commander. 

 Children situation in Syria is one of the most desperate. Among the several groups that enlistee children, there are the People’s Protection Units (YPG), Syrian government forces and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ). UN recorded 3,377 cases of children being used in the Syrian conflict from 2013 to 2018 and also said that there were over 380 verified cases of children used by the YPG and the YPJ in 2013-2018. In order to heal the situation, a plan was needed and after months of engagement between UN and SDF, the result is the Action Plan in which  SDF commits to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children under 18, to identify and separate boys and girls currently within its ranks and to create preventative, protection and disciplinary measures related to the use of minors.

Ms. Gamba highlighted the importance of Action Plan since it represents a great opportunity for the parties involved in the conflict to put an end to violations against children as well as to improve the protection of those affected by armed conflict. Ms. Gamba described this result as an “important day” for syrian children and she urged all parties listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General annual report, in Syria and elsewhere, to adopt the Action Plan. She also asked them to work together for a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) in order to restore peace in the country.

 

To read more, visit:

https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/syrian-democratic-forces-sign-action-plan-to-end-and-prevent-the-recruitment-and-use-of-children/

 https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/07/1041672

https://thedefensepost.com/2019/07/02/syria-sdf-child-soldiers-un-action-plan/

https://alliancecpha.org/en/child-protection-news/syrian-arab-republic-syrian-democratic-forces-sign-action-plan-end-and-prevent

 

Author: Giulia Francescon; Editor: Aleksandra Krol

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