The information below is based on the Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (A/73/907–S/2019/509) issued on 20 June 2019.

Following a discharge ceremony, two young men prepare to re-enter civilian life.
Photo: UNICEF

Armed conflict continued to take place both between the Tatmadaw and armed groups, and among armed groups, notably in Shan, Kachin and Rakhine States. In the last quarter of the year, fighting between the Tatmadaw and the Arakan Army intensified in central Rakhine and southern Chin States. Attacks by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army elements against Government forces were also registered. This resulted in the continuous displacement of civilians across the two states. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya, half of whom are children, remained in Rakhine State, and those displaced in Shan and Kachin States continue to face serious hardships.

0
Cases of Recruitment and Use of Children
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Incidents of Killing and Maiming
0
Incidents of Attacks on Schools
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Children were Abuducted

2018 Verified Figures

Grave Violations

  • Recruitment and Use of Children: 88 children recruited and used and 26 boys verified from past recruitment.
  • Killing and Maiming: 55 children killed or maimed.
  • Sexual Violence: 20 verified cases of sexual violence.
  • Attacks on Schools: 5 attacks on schools were documented during the reporting period.
  • Abduction: 9 documented incidents of child abduction.
  • Denial of Humanitarian Access: further deteriorated in 2018, particularly in Kachin, Shan and Rakhine States.

Developments and Concerns

I am encouraged by the Government’s formation of an interministerial committee to prevent all six grave violations and discuss action plans on ending and
preventing sexual violence and killing and maiming, following their listing in my previous report, and hope for progress in granting access to conflict-affected areas of Myanmar and holding perpetrators accountable. I reiterate my call for the Government to fully comply with and to finalize action plans on ending and preventing the two remaining violations, with the United Nations, as a priority and encourage the Government to adopt a law on child rights. I remain concerned about the ongoing recruitment and use of children and detention of children by the Government.

In 2018, the United Nations engaged with all listed armed groups, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, except for UWSA, and commitments are being sought from RCSS/SSA, Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council and Karen National Union. I strongly encourage listed parties to remain engaged with the United Nations in adopting concrete commitments, and to take action to prevent and address the recruitment of children with immediate effect.

During her visit to Myanmar in May 2018, my Special Representative stressed to the Government the need for accelerated implementation of the joint action plan on ending and preventing the recruitment and use of children. She urged the Government to ensure no new violations would occur with respect to child
recruitment and use, to expedite the age assessment of recruits, to release suspected minors whose cases are pending, and to cease the detention of children for desertion or for being absent without leave. Though efforts are under way, full compliance is yet to be achieved and aggravated cases of new recruitment occurred in 2018, with no progress on accountability. However, 75 children and young people recruited as children were released from the Tatmadaw in 2018 and there has been steady progress in addressing the backlog of cases from previous years.

I am concerned about the levels of recruitment and use, and of the killing and maiming of children, notably caused by landmines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices, and condemn grave violations committed by all parties.