(as delivered)
Statement by H.E. Ambassador Koro Bessho
Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Open Debate of the United Nations Security Council
On Children and Armed Conflict
2 August 2016
Mr. President,
Let me express my congratulations to you for assuming the post of the President for August. I look forward to working with Malaysia as the presidency.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your initiative in convening today’s open debate. Let me also thank His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary-General, as well as the distinguished briefers for their respective briefings.
Japan associates itself with the statement to be delivered later by Canada on behalf of the Group of Friends of Children and Armed Conflict. We are proud to be a member of this group.
Mr. President,
20 years have passed since the United Nations General Assembly set the mandate of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict. I welcome the progress that has been made ever since. Very recently, as of March of this year, all the countries engaged in the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign have completed signing their respective Action Plans. I welcome this achievement and would like to commend the SRSG’s tireless work on promoting the campaign.
I should like to point out, however, that signing an Action Plan is just a starting point, not the goal. As the Report of the Secretary-General, issued in April this year emphasizes, it is difficult for child soldiers released from militaries or armed groups to reintegrate themselves into the societies to which they once belonged. Their time spent as soldiers deprives them of invaluable opportunities such as education. Furthermore, those children often lack appropriate psychosocial support required for their reintegration.
While tackling this issue, we need to remind ourselves that children under armed conflict are desperately vulnerable. Programs to support these children must address their unique needs, as these children often lack the knowledge and experience to make the appropriate decisions on their own. Furthermore, in most cases it is difficult to expect the states affected by armed conflict to cope with the situation alone. It is indispensable that the whole of international society support the conflict-affected states in funding and sharing good practices.
In this context, I would like to commend the activities of UNICEF to support conflict-affected children. I can refer to projects in the Central African Republic, Sudan, Cameroon and so forth. Japan has contributed 81.5 million dollars over the past seven years to these challenges throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia. We are committed to continuing our support.
Mr. President,
The issue of displaced children is one of the challenges that have proved even more complicated in these 20 years. Those children are deprived of access to education and healthcare. When the growth of children is hampered, it could lead to marginalization and possibly further to a rise of violent extremism depending upon the circumstances. Efforts should be made to provide education and healthcare to those children.
Japan is ready to continue its support in these areas as well. We have provided healthcare support such as hygiene assistance and vaccinations for refugees and internally displaced persons including children. We have also provided temporary classrooms and educational equipment for children affected by armed conflict.
Mr. President,
Last but not least, monitoring and reporting mechanisms based on the Security Council Resolution 1612 have been critical for the progress so far. Information gathered by this mechanism is the foundation of structuring supporting activities for the children in need.
The Security Council must continue to address this agenda, as violations of the rights of the vulnerable, in our context today, children, can threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. Japan will continue its active efforts to promote this agenda.
Thank you.
