United Nations, New York - Morocco's ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale on Monday called for coordinating the efforts of the international community to stop recruiting children in armed conflicts, and for "strong action" against those who continue to act "contrary to international law."
The "persistence and increase of child recruitment in armed conflicts, notably by armed jihadist groups, including the Islamic state, and the kidnapping of more than 200 girls by the terrorist Boko Haram group, challenge us all and call for the coordination of the international community efforts,” the ambassador said at a public debate of the Executive Body of the UN Security Council focusing on child recruitment in armed conflicts.
The ambassador called for "strong measures (that) have to be taken urgently against all those who continue to act contrary to international law and child protection standards,” underlining that "the coordination of the efforts of the various stakeholders in the United Nations system is a guarantee of efficiency and success”.
He said, however, the "first responsibility falls above all to the parties to the conflict that shall comply with their international obligations by virtue of Security Council resolutions and relevant international conventions."
For Hilale, it is time for "crimes against children in armed conflicts to be considered crimes against humanity."