The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the principal bodies of the United Nations (UN), which is in charge of maintaining international peace and security.
India’s name has been taken off the list of countries from the UNSC’s annual report on Children and Armed Conflict. This decision recognises India’s commitment to child protection.
India’s name has been taken off the list of countries from the UNSC’s annual report on Children and Armed Conflict. This decision recognises India’s commitment to child protection.
On June 5, 2023, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released the report on ‘Children and Armed Conflict’. In this report the UN Chief declared, “In view of the measures taken by the government to better protect children, India has been removed from the report in 2023”.
The development is of great significance to the country, because this is the first time India has been excluded from the list since 2010.
What does this Report represent
The UN ‘Children and Armed Conflict’ report describes the consequences of armed conflicts on children in different countries, mainly in belligerent and hostile regions. The report determines the parties involved in violations against children; such as their recruitment in armed forces, the killing and mutilation or abduction of children, rape and any form of sexual assault of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and withholding humanitarian access to children.
Parties on this list including armed groups and government forces are obligated to make sustained efforts to stop these crimes and protect children.
India’s past record on this matter
India was a part of the list of countries noted ‘as a situation of concern’ since 2010. According to UNSC’s official data, India had 18 cases of engaging young boys in armed groups, 2 incidents of attacks on school and hospitals, multiple occurrences of detention of children by Indian police for their connection with terrorist groups, and 34 cases of killing and maiming of children by terrorists. Though the above incidents mainly took place in Jammu and Kashmir, other Indian states like Chhattisgarh, Assam, Jharkhand, and Odisha also had many instances of children in armed groups.
What led to India’s removal from the list
Antonio Guterres, in his last year’s report, had welcomed the Indian government’s involvement with his special representatives and expressed India’s potential to be removed as a situation of concern.
The current report on Children and Armed Conflict in 2023 guarantees India’s elimination, accrediting it to the Indian government’s cooperation and sustained efforts in fighting child protection issues.
Guterres also mentioned a workshop organised by the Indian government in Jammu and Kashmir in November 2022, in association with the United Nation officials. Also India’s continuous collaboration with the United Nations over the last two years was recognised, showcasing India’s commitment to establish sustainable actions to safeguard children.
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