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.