(ARD) It was scorching hot today in New York when the German Minister of Foreign Affairs arrived at UN headquarters to assume the chair of the UN Security Council for four weeks on behalf of Germany. Germany initiated a resolution to protect children in war zones. Before the session, he opened an exhibition in which children from various countries depicted their war experiences in drawings. Documents of horror. They show the experiences of terror and death that these children have lived through and struggle to recover from.,The UN Security Council voted on this resolution to protect children, after lengthy and difficult preparations. An estimated 2 million children have lost their lives in wars. In the end, the resolution was unanimously adopted.
In particular, the use of child soldiers will be outlawed, for example here in Sudan. Minors were trained to be fighting machines and were used without scruples. In addition, attacks against hospitals and schools will be outlawed. During these attacks, children often become targets or parties to conflict hide in these premises and use children as a protective shield. But then again, does a resolution help?
Quote Dr. Guido Westerwelle, Foreign Minister of Germany “For children to be better protected in armed conflict, attacks against schools and hospitals, for example, must be outtlawed. Whoever still commits these crimes will face punishment and will be put on a so-called ‘black lists” and can then be held personally accountable and face sanctions. And in that respect, it is important that there is now a legal basis to take action against those in armed armed conflict who pursue their wars at the cost of the weakest, the children.”
These images, which were also part of the UN exhibition, show what is urgently needed for the UN resolution to make a difference. As the child rights organization Terre des Hommes, says, perpetrators must be punished severely and swiftly. Otherwise, the resolution will only remain a piece of paper.
