NEW YORK: United Nation (UN) peacekeepers and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) worked together to free 410 children held by armed groups in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a UN spokesman said on Tuesday.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the peacekeeping mission in DRC, known as MONUSCO, worked with UNICEF from January to September to release 344 boys and 66 girls held by armed groups in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Dujarric said the freed children have been referred to services that will help them reintegrate into a normal life after their experience.
“During the same period, 165 cases of child recruitment and use (by the armed groups) were verified by the United Nations, including 30 girls and 135 boys,” he said.
“Our colleagues say these numbers show children remain vulnerable in conflict zones and highlight the urgent need for protection, accountability, and reintegration support.”
Dujarric said that under the world body’s children and armed conflict framework, peacekeeping missions work to prevent and respond to grave violations against children, including their recruitment and use by armed forces and groups.
He said MONUSCO helps DRC authorities implement action plans, strengthen security forces, and report violations, while its peacekeepers have freed thousands of children from armed groups.The mission also said it provides technical support for DRC legislative reforms to strengthen child protection systems. – BERNAMA
