DPSMK INTRA MUN

COMMITTEE- HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL AGENDA- CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT AND PROSECUTION OF JUVENILE OFFERNDERS. EXEC BOARDSECRETARY GENERAL - SHUBHAM GOYAL PRESIDENT- UDIT MONGIA VICE PRESIDENT- KRITIKA KULHARI

TermsJuvenile- Not a fully grown or a developing child in supervision of a guardian is a Juvenile. Juvenile Offenders- A Juvenile that violates a National or an International Law under any circumstances.

* The committee needs to mention and redefine these terms to conclude that what does the committee wants to discuss. Introduction
Since World War II, Conflicts have taken lives of millions of civilians or non soldiers. In countries in different parts of world families, communities and even villages are broken by different conflicts of world, often it has been seen Children are the ones affected the most. As a result of armed conflict, children suffer serious injuries, are forced to leave their homes, lose family members or even die themselves. Since 1990, over two million children have lost their lives because of wars and over 20 million have been left homeless. Children are recruited to be soldiers in many countries including Sri Lanka, Colombia, Myanmar, Chechnya, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. Governments and military groups attract children because they are cheaper to feed and clothe than adults. Children can handle weapons or serve as messengers in the military, in addition to other roles. Today, countries must agree on ways to protect children from violence and war. In doing so, they must also focus on helping children recover if they have suffered physical or emotional injuries during a conflict.

Role of UNICEF: Protection of Children from Exploitation

In order to protect children from exploitation in conflict, UNICEF has negotiated for children to be considered zone of peace in many countries. Children as a Zone of Peace is a concept that former UNICEF delegate from Sweden Nils Thedin put into action in the 1980s, where countries will negotiate cease-fire times for the purpose of evacuating children, allowing time to disperse humanitarian aid or food supplies, or administering vaccinations to children. Often times in conflict zones these temporary cease fires can lead to longer lasting peace or negotiation talks between groups, as it did in El Salvador. Continuing to progress in the capability of the global community to protect children in armed conflict should be central to the work of UNICEF and the larger UN System. Briefings, reports, and resolutions have been written to make Member States and international organizations aware of what the global community can do next to continue to protect the worlds children.

The Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict issued a briefing note to the UN Security Council in June 2011 outlining five major issue areas to work on in order to take the next steps towards protecting children in armed conflict. Watchlist suggests stronger collaboration with regional bodies to deal with cross-border protection issues and advocates that the Security Council impose sanctions upon persistent violators of child exploitation. While the Security Council would need to be responsible for any sanctions placed on perpetrators, UNICEF can play an active role in coordinating regional cooperation to prevent cross-border exploitation of children. Protection of children from exploitation in conflict is explicitly outlined and defined within the Convention on the Rights of the Child; in particular, Article 34 charges states with the responsibility to take all measures to specifically prevent sexual exploitation, including: the inducement or coercion of a child to engage in any unlawful sexual activity; the exploitative use of children in prostitution or other unlawful sexual practices; and the exploitative use of children in pornographic performances and materials. UNICEF is currently focusing on protecting children from exploitation namely by becoming cochair of the IASC Task Force on Protection from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation in Humanitarian Crises in light of the major allegations against UN peacekeepers of sexual exploitation. Their involvement in the Task Force is to work to coordinate humanitarians to prevent and address the issue of sexual abuse and exploitation through the Task Force Plan of Action. UNICEF also plays a leading role in the international community in developing international machineries to prevent abuse of children as well as ensure accountability in the international communities role and responses to abuse cases.

Case study: Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) faces an onslaught of issues ranging from unstable neighbors, including Sudan, Chad, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, to major human rights violations, especially against children. Children are victims of a constant lack of basic human needs: healthcare, clean water, and education, as well as victims of severe violence, including sexual violence and abduction. Abduction in CAR affects boys and girls a like. When abducted boys are forced to fight as child soldiers or used as labor in fields and other situations, girls were used to carry out domestic duties and often times are given to rebel leaders for sex or for marriage .If girls were included in combat missions the majority are not given firearms

but still expected to help the men and boys destroy villages by setting fires or using machetes to help in the killings. These abductions were largely coordinated by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) who took up arms in the 1980s against the Ugandan Government and has been operating in CAR since 2008, abducting over 350 people and responsible for the displacement of more than 25,000 people in the southeast. The Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict recommends that the UN increase its presence, specifically naming UNICEF staff, to monitor and report on the abduction and recruitment of children for the use of child soldiers and to improve the protection of these children. UNICEF is also called upon to commit financial and human support to the task force in CAR to work on these issues, as well as establish UNICEF presence in both Obo and Ndele to increase the protection of children affected by the conflicts.

Prosecution of Child Soldiers

Child Soldiers are seen in all types of militant groups across the world. Children become soldiers for many different reasons. Some are forced to join, or have no other choice. Others have extreme pride in their country, and desire to fight for it more than anything else. Unfortunately, these once innocent children get into situations that will affect them for the rest of their lives. Children are very impressionable, and when they are part of a military group, they are mentally programmed to see the groups cause as theirs. Child soldiers are economically very efficient as part of a militant group. They often do not expect wages and behind a gun, can be as powerful as any adult soldier. Many Countries have set up Juvenile Courts and signed bi-lateral treaties to avoid any harm to children in and during the Armed Conflicts. A large number of Countries have stood against prosecution which indeed stands a correct option to protect Children from further harm.

Alternatives to Prosecution
First Alternative to Prosecution is Establishment of a TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Centers). A TRC runs under the authority of a government for Demobilization and Reintegration of Juvenile Offenders back into the Society Second and an already established Alternative is Immigration of these Children to UN Refugee Camps and Providing them with Food, Shelter and Education when they return

Questions to Consider 1. According to your country what is the main reason children fight in war and violate human rights? How can this be avoided? 2. Do groups in your country employ child soldiers or Soldiers under the age of 15? 3. Has your country been involved in a conflict, If yes then How has it affected the Children? 4. What sort of Aid Program should UN provide to assist the Children affected by armed Conflicts? 5. How can Child Soldiers be Demobilized and Reintegrated into the society back?

References
www.un.org/special-rep/children-armed-conflict www.ohchr.org/english www.amnesty.org/en/children www.unicef.org www.warchild.org