The report – the primary of its sort – analyses the hyperlinks between youngster trafficking and the six grave violations towards kids caught up in struggle. They’re recruitment and use, killing and maiming, rape and different types of sexual violence, abduction, assaults on faculties and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian entry.
It was produced by the Workplace of the UN Secretary-Basic’s Particular Consultant for Youngsters and Armed Battle, Virginia Gamba, in shut collaboration with the Particular Rapporteur on trafficking in individuals, particularly girls and kids, Siobhán Mullally.
Focus was on seven nations or geographic areas – Colombia, the Lake Chad basin in Africa, Libya, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine – and the report affords suggestions for making certain higher safety and accountability.
Management and intimidation
“What this examine exhibits are the methods by which youngster trafficking overlaps and interacts with the six grave violations whereas mapping out authorized and coverage responses, which too usually are executed in silos,” Ms. Gamba said.
Youngster trafficking in armed battle takes many types, together with sexual exploitation and sexual slavery, youngster marriage, recruitment and use in fight and help roles.
It has lengthy been utilized by combatants to manage and terrorize communities and to help and maintain battle.
On the similar time, grave violations are sometimes a part of the lead-up to, technique of, or aftermath of kid trafficking. For instance, denial of humanitarian entry throughout wartime could make kids extra susceptible to being trafficked.
Gender and cross-border dimensions
Moreover, “the dangers of kid trafficking are deeply gendered”, in keeping with the report. Whereas women are most frequently focused for sexual exploitation and youngster marriage, boys usually tend to be recruited into hostilities.
There additionally will be each inner and cross-border dimensions to youngster trafficking in armed battle.
For instance, a number of types and places of kid trafficking have been noticed in Syria since battle erupted greater than a decade in the past. They embrace the kidnapping and switch of Yazidi women from Iraq for functions of sexual slavery and compelled marriage, whereas native Sunni Syrian households agreed for women to marry ISIS members, in some circumstances below menace.
Youngsters watch how former combatants of the FARC-EP, ELN, AUC paramilitary group, members of the Colombian Armed Forces and victims play a pleasant match in Dabeiba, Antioquia (file).
Lack of accountability
Ms. Mullally stated the examine addresses a key hole in coverage and apply on the safety of youngsters in armed battle. She famous that restricted consideration has been given to youngster trafficking as a safety danger, or to the prevention of kid trafficking and accountability, as priorities for sustainable peace.
“The shortage of accountability for youngster trafficking additional contributes to persevering with cycles of impunity,” she added.
Suggestions for nations
The examine incorporates suggestions to UN Member States that the authors described as “concrete, focused, and well timed”.
One advice requires full utility of the non-punishment precept to emphasise that trafficked kids are victims somewhat than accomplices. Thus, early identification of victims is crucial.
Different suggestions underscore the significance of nations stopping youngster trafficking and making certain long-term safety for victims, together with by addressing poverty and gender inequality, making certain common registration of all kids, and eliminating statelessness.
