(United Nations – Meetings Coverage and Press Releases) – The plight of children living in the midst of conflict had worsened in many parts of the world, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today as it began its consideration of the promotion and protection of the rights of young people with an interactive dialogue with top United Nations officials. Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, cited a number of examples in countries as varied as Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Iraq, Nigeria, Syria and Yemen, and in the State of Palestine and Israel, where violence and tensions had shown no signs of abating. Her report to the Committee drew attention to groups that had committed unspeakable atrocities against children, in actions testing the ability of States and the international community to respond.
