Mali

Three parties are listed in the SG’s 2022 annual report on CAAC for recruiting and using children in Mali. Of these, Ansar Eddine, as part of Jama‘a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimina and Mouvement national de libération de l’Azawad, part of the Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad are also listed for rape and other forms of sexual violence. In June, MINUSMA’s mandate is up for renewal, pursuant to SCR 2640 (2022). According to the SG’s March report on MINUSMA (S/2023/236), the UN verified 264 grave violations against children between January and March 2023, an increase from the previous reporting period. Cases of both recruitment and use and attacks on schools and hospitals increased notably from the previous reporting period. In November, the SG published his fourth report on the situation of CAAC in Mali (S/2022/856), and the SCWG-CAAC continues to negotiate its conclusions. See Watchlist’s February 2023 update for targeted recommendations to the SCWG-CAAC. The Security Council should:

• Renew MINUSMA’s child protection mandate, taking child protection fully into account as a cross-cutting issue, and in subsequent budget negotiations, ensure allocation of sufficient resources to enable the mission to fully deliver on this mandate;

• Call upon all signatory parties of the 2015 Peace Agreement to ensure that children’s rights and protection needs are prioritized in all negotiations on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs, including the unconditional release of children in their ranks; Urge the Platform factions and the Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad to swiftly and fully implement their respective action plans;
• Urge the Malian authorities to strengthen the legal child protection framework, including by finalizing the Child Protection Code revision, reinforcing national systems to prevent child recruitment and use, and validating the draft law annulling the 30-day legal deadline for birth registration; as well as to strengthen accountability for grave violations against children;
• Call for continued and full implementation of the 2013 handover protocol, including for children allegedly associated with armed groups designated as terrorist groups by the UN, treating children primarily as victims and prioritizing their reintegration, as guided by the Paris Principles;
• Demand that all parties allow and facilitate unimpeded, rapid, and safe access to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, especially children, and respect and protect humanitarian personnel, assets, and infrastructure;
• Call on all parties to immediately cease attacks on schools and education personnel and urge the Malian authorities to continue to uphold commitments under the Safe Schools Declaration, including by enacting the draft bill on protecting education from attack.

This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – June 2023.

In November, the SG published his fourth report on the situation of CAAC in Mali (S/2022/856), covering the period from April 2020 to March 2022. During this period, the CTFMR verified 2,095 grave violations against 1,473 children (1,134 boys, 314 girls, 25 of unknown sex), representing a significant increase from the previous report (S/2020/1105) which covered a longer period. Recruitment and use and abduction both sharply increased during the reporting period. Attacks on schools and hospitals also increased, and 1,731 schools remained closed as of March 2022 due to insecurity, attacks, and threats of attacks against schools and related personnel. Verified incidents of killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, and the denial of humanitarian access remained high. For more than half of grave violations (55 percent), a specific perpetrator was not identified. The proportion of grave violations attributed to Government Security Forces increased compared to the previous report. The CTFMR noted monitoring and reporting challenges due to insecurity and restricted access to some conflict-affected areas, as well as movement restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lack of progress on combatting impunity was – once again – highlighted in this report, in particular regarding rape and other forms of sexual violence. The Working Group should:

• Strongly condemn all grave violations and abuses that continue to be committed against children in Mali, and demand that all parties uphold their obligations under IHL and IHRL; Welcome the signature of an action plan to end and prevent recruitment and use of children by two factions of the Platform, and urge the Platform factions and the Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad to swiftly and fully implement their respective action plans;
• Urge the Malian authorities to strengthen the legal child protection framework, including by finalizing the Child Protection Code revision, reinforcing national systems to prevent child recruitment and use, and validating the draft law annulling the 30-day legal deadline for birth registration;
• Call upon all signatory parties of the 2015 Peace Agreement to ensure that children’s rights and protection needs are prioritized in all negotiations on disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs, including the unconditional release of children in their ranks;
• Express concern at the lack of progress on combatting impunity, and urge the Malian authorities to strengthen accountability for grave violations against children, including rape and other forms of sexual violence, by conducting timely and impartial investigations and, where appropriate, prosecutions, and ensuring child survivors of sexual violence have access to comprehensive, gender-sensitive, and age-appropriate response systems and services;
• Call for continued and full implementation of the 2013 handover protocol, including for children allegedly associated with armed groups designated as terrorist groups by the UN, treating children primarily as victims and prioritizing their reintegration, as guided by the Paris Principles;
• Demand that all parties allow and facilitate unimpeded, rapid, and safe access to ensure the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, especially children, and respect and protect humanitarian personnel, assets, and infrastructure;
• Call on all parties to immediately cease attacks on schools and education personnel and urge the Malian authorities to continue to uphold commitments under the Safe Schools Declaration, including by enacting the draft bill on protecting education from attack.

This information is based on Watchlist’s Children and Armed Conflict Monthly Update – February 2023.

Year listed: 2013
Action Plans signed: CMA (Coordination des mouvements de l’Azawad), including the MNLA (Mouvement national de libération de l’Azawad), action plan to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children and sexual violence against children (March 2017)
Sanctions Committee: Mali Sanctions Committee (Current Chair: Dominican Republic)
Secretary-General’s reports on CAAC in Mali: 2022; 2020; 2018; 2014
Security Council Working Group conclusions on Mali: 2020; 2018; 2014
UN Mission: MINUSMA