CHAD: Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict

Submitted by crinadmin on

This report has been prepared pursuant to the provisions of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) and is presented to the Security Council as the first country report on the situation of children and armed conflict in Chad. The report covers the period from January 2006 to May 2007, and details grave violations perpetrated against children in Chad, including the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups; the killing and maiming of children, especially by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs); rape and other grave sexual violence, especially against girls; and the denial of humanitarian access and targeting of humanitarian personnel and assets. The report identifies both State and non-State parties responsible for such violations.

The report emphasises the convergence of three distinct yet interrelated dimensions of conflict in Chad:

  • the outbreak of violence in the eastern part of the country between government forces and Chadian armed opposition groups;
  • intercommunal and ethnically based violence in the east, and
  • the Darfur conflict and tensions between Chad and Sudan along their common border, which has led to a proliferation of arms and cross-border banditry. These circumstances have led to a significant increase in grave child rights violations and impunity for crimes against children.

The report acknowledges the significant challenges in addressing child rights violations in Chad and urges the international community to reinforce the capacity of the Government of Chad to respond in a timely and comprehensive manner to grave violations. It urges State and non-State parties to enter into dialogue with the United Nations towards the preparation of action plans to end the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups, as well as other grave violations of children’s rights. The report also calls on all the parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and assets, and strongly recommends rigorous investigations and prosecutions of crimes against children to address impunity.

Further information

pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/SR_CAC_Chad.pdf

Organisation: 
Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict
Attachment Link: 
http://www.crin.org/docs/SR_CAC_Chad.pdf

Countries

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