UNITED NATIONS - Pakistan has underscored the need for evolving a counter narrative to defeat the twisted ideology of terrorists who are now intentionally targeting and attacking children, and called for an effective response to put an end to their violence.
“Armed groups have committed barbaric acts of terror against children,” Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Speaking in an open debate on Children and Armed Conflict, she said that the massacre of more than 100 children in the Army Public School in Peshawar three months ago was one of the worst atrocities perpetrated against children.
“In doing so, these terrorist outfits sunk to new levels of cruelty and displayed a reprehensible capacity to attack the core values of humanity.
” That attack had strengthened the resolve of the govt and people of Pakistan to combat terrorist violence and the groups, Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told delegates from around the world.
Children had been inspired by Malala Yousafzai, who took a bullet in the head rather than submit to the terrorists dictates or agenda.
“Her act of extraordinary courage became a symbol of resistance to the evil designs of violent groups.
”Opening the debate, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that an estimated 230 million children reside in countries and areas where armed groups are fighting and up to 15 million children were impacted by the violence.
“The world’s children are increasingly under threat in theatres of war,” the Secretary-General said.
“Last year was considered one of the worst ever for children in areas affected by conflict.
” In her speech, the Pakistani envoy said that preventing the recruitment and indoctrination of children by extremist and militant organisations and education for the promotion of tolerance were priorities for her country.
Maleeha Lodhi said that Pakistan was conducting an effective law-enforcement campaign, including Zarb-e-Azab in the Tribal Areas, to take out terrorists, dismantle their networks and halt the flow of finances to them from inside and outside the country.
“We have learnt by doing,” Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said.
“That is why Pakistan recognises that while the use of force may be necessary it is not sufficient to effectively eradicate this menace,” she said, adding, “Non-kinetic measures such as evolving a counter narrative to defeat the terrorists twisted ideology are just as important, if not more so.
”“Even as Pakistan executes its campaign against terrorists and acts to protect its children, sharing best practices and experience gained by different countries can help strengthen our collective response to keep our citizens and our children safe from the violent actions of armed groups.
” Also addressing the Council, Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, lamented the growing challenges facing the international community “despite the consensus and our combined efforts to spare children the horrors of war.
”“In this start to 2015, it is the violence of armed groups and the brutality with which they treat the children which is our main challenge,” Ms.
Zerrougui said.
“This is the case in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, but also in other countries.
Recurring conflicts have intensified and the expansion of armed groups is assuming alarming proportions.
”The Special Representative noted that out of the 59 parties documented as having committed violations against children, 51 were non-State actors.
To that point, she added, it remained necessary to enter into “constructive dialogue” with the armed groups, in order to dissuade them from continuing in their destructive practices.
Echoing her point, Yoka Brandt, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, emphasised that voicing outrage was “not enough” but that the international community’s words “must be matched by action to prevent violations of child rights.
” Ms.
Brandt admitted that there had been some successes as a number of child soldiers in South Sudan were undergoing demobilisation.
She underscored, however, that being released was “only a first step” as many children faced struggles when they returned home, such as stigmatisation and psychological stress.
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