Child trafficking and armed conflict – World

New research sheds light on links between child trafficking and serious violations against children in armed conflict, calls for greater prevention, protection and accountability

New York, October 3, 2024 – The proliferation of armed conflicts around the world places children at greater risk of serious violations, while the risk of being trafficked similarly increases during armed conflict and periods of transition. That’s why a new study published today suggests using a human trafficking framework to prevent, categorize and respond to violations against children in armed conflict, including the six serious violations*, in an effort to maximize synergy in prevention, protection and accountability strategies.

The study, the first to shed light on the links between child trafficking and the six serious violations against children in armed conflict, was produced in close collaboration by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for Children and Armed Conflict. with Siobhán Mullally, the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, especially women and children.

“What this study shows is the ways in which child trafficking overlaps and interacts with the six serious violations, while mapping legal and policy responses that too often occur in silos. Most importantly, the study makes recommendations to prevent and hold accountable the perpetrators of this serious violation of international law,” said Virginia Gamba.

The study focused on seven countries or geographic areas: Colombia, the Chad Basin, Libya, Myanmar, South Sudan, Syria and Ukraine.

Child trafficking has long been used by parties to armed conflicts to control and terrorize communities and to support and perpetuate conflict. Meanwhile, serious violations are often part of the lead-up to, process or aftermath of child trafficking. For example, denying humanitarian access can create additional vulnerability to trafficking for affected children, while children can be trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and slavery, child marriage, recruitment, and use in combat and support roles.

The research also shows that the risks of child trafficking are deeply gendered. Girls are most often targeted for sexual exploitation and child marriage, while boys are more often targeted for recruitment in hostilities.

“This study addresses an important gap in policy and practice in the protection of children in armed conflict, as limited attention has been paid to child trafficking as a key protection risk, or to the prevention of child trafficking and its responsibility , as priorities for lasting peace. . The lack of accountability for child trafficking further contributes to ongoing cycles of impunity,” said Siobhán Mullally. “We hope this research will lead to urgently needed changes in practice, strengthening prevention and protection measures and ultimately accountability,” she added.

The study further presents concrete, targeted and timely recommendations to Member States, parties to conflicts and UN entities. Among the recommendations is the full application of the non-punishment principle to emphasize that trafficked children are victims rather than accomplices, and that victims should be identified early. Other recommendations include the importance for Member States to prevent child trafficking and ensure long-term protection of victims, including by tackling poverty and gender inequality, ensuring universal registration of all children and eradicating statelessness. The study also recommends that the UN adapt its monitoring and reporting framework to better document the links between child trafficking and the six serious violations.

UN officials hope the research will help change practice and contribute to better prevention and response to both child trafficking and serious violations, and ultimately hold perpetrators accountable.

Read the research on child trafficking and armed conflict

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* The Mandate on Children and Armed Conflict reports and verifies six serious violations that commonly occur in situations of armed conflict. The six serious violations are recruitment and deployment, murder and mutilation, rape and other forms of sexual violence, kidnapping, attacks on schools and hospitals and denial of humanitarian access to children.

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For more information please contact:

Ariane Lignier, Communications Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict: [email protected]

Fabienne Vinet, Political Affairs Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict: [email protected]