With negotiations underway toward a new treaty on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, Under-Secretary-General Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, supported by representatives of the international community, emphasized the urgency of strengthening protections for children, who remain among the most vulnerable in situations of widespread or systematic violence.
At a high-level briefing hosted by the Permanent Missions of Andorra, Malta and Portugal to the United Nations, the UN’s leading advocate for conflict-affected children, together with several experts, stressed the importance of ensuring that the International Law Commission Draft Articles adequately capture the distinct nature of crimes committed against children. This briefing was particularly timely, coming ahead of the 30 April 2026 deadline for Member States to submit proposed amendments.
In her keynote address, Vanessa Frazier reiterated that “A convention on crimes against humanity that does not fully protect children would fall short of its most fundamental purpose. As the 30 April deadline is approaching, we have a narrow window to ensure that this treaty reflects the standards we have already embraced under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the realities we now understand about how children experience atrocity crimes”.
The briefing focused on three concrete proposals: recognition of age-based persecution, inclusion of the recruitment and use of persons under 18 as a crime against humanity, and non-prosecution of children in adult criminal justice systems.
In their remarks, the Ambassadors from Andorra, Malta and Portugal reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that the future convention advances protection and accountability for children affected by widespread or systematic violence.
The UN Secretariat will compile all proposed amendments into a single text following the 30 April 2026 deadline, which will serve as the basis for upcoming negotiations.
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For more information:
Fabienne Vinet, Political Affairs Officer / Communications Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict: vinet@un.org