ICC verdict hailed as victory for children

The war crimes court at The Hague on Wednesday found Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga guilty in its first ever ruling after a decade of work. The International Criminal Court convicted the former militia leader of using child soldiers in the 2002-2003 conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

“The ICC verdict against Thomas Lubanga is truly a victory for children everywhere who are caught up in armed conflict,” said UNICEF’s Senior Advisor on Child Protection in Emergencies, Pernille Ironside. She said she hoped the verdict would help prevent the future use of child soldiers: “I see this also as a very strong message to other commanders, not to engage in this practice… They also risk being prosecuted either at the national level or at the international level.”

Speaking of her own experience working with child victims in the DRC, she told us, “This phenomenon has had a heartbreaking impact on Congolese children. The verdict is a real acknowledgement by the international community of what these children have gone through.”

Listen to the full interview of Pernille Ironside with Christopher Wells: