New York, 10 October 2019 – Children trapped in conflict areas are extremely vulnerable to the rapid escalation of fighting in northeast Syria, warns the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.
She calls for restraint in the conduct of hostilities as children in Syria already live in dire conditions and will be severely impacted as the security and humanitarian situation deteriorate.
She reminds all parties conducting military operations in Syria of their obligations under international law. She further calls for the safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all children.
The killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, as well as the recruitment and use of children are among the most severe violations of children’s rights in Syria, and the utmost must be done to prevent them.
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For additional information, please contact:
Fabienne Vinet, Communications Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
+1-212-963-5986 (office) / +1-917-288-5791 (mobile) / vinet@un.org
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