UN chief promotes guidance on protection of children in armed conflict

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday promoted the practical guidance for mediators to protect children in situations of armed conflict.

"The practical guidance for mediators that we are launching today is the next step in our strategy to put children at the heart of protection, peacebuilding and prevention efforts," he told a Security Council briefing.

The guidance recognizes that children's needs and rights must be considered during all phases of conflict, from prevention efforts to mediation and recovery. It provides the means to conduct a child rights-based analysis of conflict for mediators and negotiators, he said.

"By integrating specific measures to protect children into peace processes, we can achieve concrete results for children, and for peace."

Guterres encouraged all UN member states, regional and sub-regional organizations, mediators and other actors involved in peace processes to make full use of this guidance and to achieve the greatest possible impact.

"But as important as this guidance is, it is not enough. I urge all member states to take concrete actions to prioritize the protection of children affected by conflict at the national, regional and global level."

The guidance will be launched on Wednesday to coincide the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, which falls on Feb. 12 every year.

The Security Council chose to hold a briefing on the issue on the same day.

(CGTN)