2010-09-22 16:11:25

UN envoy hails ‘landmark’ day as more nations ban use of child soldiers


(Sept.22,2010)
Hailing the move by several countries to ban the use of child soldiers, a top United Nations official urged on Tuesday, that all nations which have not yet done so, take the important step of signing and ratifying the global treaty that serves to protect children in armed conflict. “Today is a landmark day for children,” said Radhika Coomaraswamy, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, after three countries either signed, or ratified the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. “Today, you have strengthened a growing moral consensus that war is no place for children,” Coomaraswamy said at a special event held at UN Headquarters in New York.
Gabon and Malawi ratified the protocol, while Iran signed it. The treaties are open for signature, ratification or accession during the annual event. Coomaraswamy noted that seven Member States have signed or ratified the Optional Protocol, since the launch of the “Zero under 18” campaign in May. Until today, 136 countries were State Parties to the Protocol. The two-year campaign aims to achieve universal ratification of the Protocol by 12 February 2012, the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the treaty.
Coomaraswamy urged that the momentum generated by the actions on Tuesday be kept up, so that the more than 50 nations that have yet to ratify the Protocol will do so at the earliest.









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