Grave Violations

Recruitment and use
0
children (301 boys, 108 girls)
Killing and maiming
0
(57 killed – 50 maimed; 68 boys – 36 girls – 3 sex unknown)
Sexual violence
0
children (276 girls, 0 boys)
0
(28 schools, 27 hospitals)
0
children (64 girls, 47 boys, 3 sex unknown)
0
verified incidents

*The information below is based on the Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (A/76/871-S/2022/493) issued on 11 July 2022. Violations that occurred in previous years but were verified in 2021 have been included in the totals above.

Developments & Concerns

Progress

  • Continued progress in the development by the Government of interministerial plans to implement the Child Protection Code.
  • United Nations dialogue with armed groups led to the release of 134 children.

Challenges

  • Surge in the number of violations against children and by the recurrent attacks on and the military use of schools and hospitals and by the increased number child casualties.
  • Increased scale of violations attributed to armed groups, such as the ongoing recruitment and use of children, and a sharp increase in sexual violence, abductions, and in the number of attacks on schools and hospitals.

Recommendations

For the Government:

  • To appoint child protection focal points in the Armed Forces of the Central African Republic, issue command directives applicable to all forces in the country, and, in cooperation with the United Nations, end and prevent grave violations by the Armed Forces and other security personnel.
  • To investigate ongoing violations and hold perpetrators accountable.
  • To adopt a protocol for the handover of children associated with armed groups to civilian protection actors.
  • To increase efforts by the Government and other signatories of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic to cooperate with the United Nations to develop a national strategy to prevent and eliminate grave violations against children.
  • To ensure armed groups comply with their commitments and adopt concrete measures to cease all grave violations, as well as unconditionally release associated children and respect the civilian character of schools and hospitals.

To All Parties:

  • To urge FPRC, MPC and UPC, all of which have signed action plans with the United Nations, to comply with their commitments and call upon all parties to adopt concrete measures to cease all grave violations, unconditionally release associated children and respect the civilian character of schools and hospitals.