UN report on 'kids & armed conflict' cites India, government concerned

UNITED NATIONS: Days after the UN secretary general's report on 'Children and Armed Conflict' mentioned India, New Delhi has expressed concern that the report includes situations that are "not situations of armed conflict" or threats to maintenance of international peace and security.

The report released last week mentions the situation in India under the category "Situations not on the agenda of the Security Council or other situations".

Addressing the UNSC high-level open debate on children and armed conflict on Tuesday, charge d'affaires at India's permanent mission to the UN ambassador R Ravindra said, "We must be cautious as attempts to selectively expand the mandate will only politicise its agenda. It would distract us and even divert our attention from real threats to international peace and security and children in armed conflict."

"We also note with concern that despite the council's clear mandate, the secretary general's report includes situations that are not situations of armed conflict or threats to the maintenance of international peace and security," he said.

In the report, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres welcomed the legal and administrative framework for the protection of children and improved access to child protection services in "several Indian states, including Assam and Jammu and Kashmir".

But he expressed concern about the risk of child recruitment by armed groups in affected districts.

"I further welcome the agreement to a joint technical mission to hold interministerial, technical-level meetings with the United Nations during 2022 to identify areas of enhanced cooperation for child protection. This enhanced engagement may lead to removal of India as a situation of concern from my next report on children and armed conflict, should all practical measures agreed to in such meets be fully implemented by then" the secretary general said in the report.

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