Algerian Radio
The Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Catherine Russell, called on the member states of the UN Security Council on Wednesday to "act urgently" to ensure that all parties to conflicts respect international humanitarian law and protect children in war zones.
Speaking at a Security Council session dedicated to children and armed conflict, Ms. Russell stated that "a school, a hospital, or a water point should never be a battlefield." However, she emphasized that this is now the daily reality for millions of children living in conflict zones.
She indicated that the figures in the UN Secretary-General's report, which recorded 38,558 grave violations against children in 2025, conceal the reality of children who are killed, maimed, recruited and used by armed forces and groups, abducted, subjected to sexual violence, or deprived of humanitarian aid, education, healthcare, and protection.
Ms. Russell warned that many violations go unreported due to insecurity, access restrictions, fear of reprisals, and difficulties in documenting cases in active combat zones.
She added that these numbers show that the protection guaranteed to children under international law "is being violated at an increasing rate and at a high human cost."
Ms. Russell concluded: "Children do not start wars, and they do not have the power to stop them," affirming that the world owes them an environment where they can "grow, learn, and dream in peace."
