NationStates Jolt Archive

Children and Armed Conflict
A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Sarmasson

Description: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

CALLS UPON all parties to armed conflict to:

(a) Respect fully the relevant provisions of international law relating to the rights and protection of children in armed conflict, and notes that using children under the age of fifteen years to participate actively in hostilities is a war crime;

(b) Provide protection and assistance to refugees and displaced persons, the majority of whom are women and children, in accordance with applicable international norms and standards;

(c) Take special measures to promote and protect the rights and meet the special needs of girls affected by armed conflict, and to put an end to all forms of violence and exploitation, including sexual violence, particularly rape;

(d) Provide protection of children in peace agreements, including, where appropriate, provisions relating to the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation of child soldiers and the reunification of families, and to consider, when possible, the views of children in those processes;

URGES Member Nations to:

(a) Prosecute those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other egregious crimes perpetrated against children;

(b) Consider appropriate legal, political, diplomatic, financial and material measures, in accordance with international law, in order to ensure that parties to armed conflict respect international norms for the protection of children;

(c) Consider, where appropriate, measures that may be taken to discourage corporate actors, within their jurisdiction, from maintaining commercial relations with parties to armed conflicts, when those parties are violating applicable international law on the protection of children in armed conflict;

(d) Consider measures against corporate actors, individuals and entities under their jurisdiction that engage in illicit trade in natural resources and small arms, in violation of relevant international law;

(f) Consider further steps for the protection of children;

REQUESTS the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations to:

(a) Coordinate their support and assistance to parties to armed conflict in fulfilling their obligations and commitments to children;

(b) Take account of ways of reducing child recruitment that is contrary to accepted international standards when formulating development assistance programmes;

(c) Devote particular attention and adequate resources to the rehabilitation of children affected by armed conflict, particularly their counselling, education and appropriate vocational opportunities, as a preventive measure and as a means of reintegrating them into society;

(d) Ensure that the special needs and particular vulnerabilities of girls affected by armed conflict, including those heading households, orphaned, sexually exploited and used as combatants, are duly taken into account in the design of development assistance programmes, and that adequate resources are allocated to such programmes;

(e) Integrate HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, care and support into emergency, humanitarian, and post-conflict programmes;

(f) Support the development of local capacity to address post-conflict child rehabilitation and reintegration concerns;

(g) Promote a culture of peace, including through support for peace education programmes and other non-violent approaches to conflict prevention and resolution, in peace-building activities;

Voting Ends: Tue Sep 21 2004

It's been done already.
Children in War

A resolution to improve worldwide human and civil rights.

Category: Human Rights
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: Sydia

Description: The NationStates United Nations,

Noting with regret that thousands of children continue to be abducted to serve as soldiers, spies, messengers, servants and sexual slaves with armed forces and groups,

Realizing that poverty, propaganda and ideology also continue to drive the involvement of children in many conflict areas,

Deeply disturbed by the idea that children make obedient and cheap soldiers capable of instilling terror in civilians and opposing forces alike,

Observing that many of these children are generally poor, illiterate, and from rural regions,

Bearing in mind that many nations have a difficult time in protecting these children,

Convinced that the social and economic viability of the future of all nations lies in the humane treatment of children in general,

1. Bans the practise of conscripting or placing children under 16 years of age into national armed services;

2. Insists nations address the causes of child abduction by non-governmental organizations;

3. Emphasizes the need for nations to prevent cross-border abduction and human trafficking;

4. All parties in armed conflict must adopt special measures to protect children from rape and sexual abuse and gender based violence;

5. Expects nations to take into account the special needs of children throughout the duration of the armed conflict and its aftermath;

6. All UN nations must ensure that international measures be taken to take care of child refugees displaced by conflict;

7. Condemns and bans attacks of any sort on places that have a significant presence of children, such as schools, hospitals, and day care facilities;

8. Deplores and bans the practice of using children as human shields by integrating child care facilities, such as those listed above, with military facilities, and prohibits this practise; and

9. Acknowledges the right of nations to set up military academies and to teach children basic survival and defense skills.

Votes For: 15753

Votes Against: 2582

Implemented: Mon Mar 8 2004

I know, but the "Children and Armed Conflict" Proposal furthers the "Children in War" Resolution.

I know, but the "Children and Armed Conflict" Proposal furthers the "Children in War" Resolution.

No, it does the exact same thing, it's totally redundant. It merely itimized the content of the previous. REDUNDANT REDUNDANT REDUNDANT.

Under United Nations precedents, it is not in order to consider proposals that are identical to previous resolutions. However, I am not sure that this qualifies - I have not examined proposals in a while.

Lord Evif
Goobergunchian UN Observer

“Nonsense! Why should children be denied the possibility to serve in our glorious forces? The chance to fight for glory and honour in the name of one’s god is a privilege, an honour! Fifteen is a young age, true, but in times of war all must fight for the glory of Lord Atum, all praise, glory and honour to Him!

“Refugees are pathetic, those who would flee instead of standing and holding their ground in the name of their god. Cowards all. We will not protect them.

“Kree! The protection of women and girls is a matter for them and their weapons! Why should a woman not simply destroy those who would perform such acts? And if she fails, does she deserve any protection from the stronger? Your species must embrace evolution and the survival of the fittest!

“Crimes against humanity are no more valid than crimes against cattle. Such things are below our notice. As ever, this body wastes its time with petty resolutions when the urgent matter of providing aid to those who need it, like the Glorious Domain of Lord Atum is neglected.”

~ Lord Jevah, Lord Atum’s Representative to the United Nations.

Maxwell, one of the many, many, many many many many many many many many bureaucrats of the UN; looked slightly annoyed at Lord Jevah (And his dressing style), wondering just when his superiors let those freaks in... Nonetheless, they supported the cause, so they were welcome.

Sorta.

Slowly, somewhat tired, he raised his voice. "Well, I can see both sides... One shouldn't forget that the children who die during combat cannot be used as full grown warriors later on... It is a waste of valuable ressources, so to speak. On the other hand, losing a child is less dangerous to the economic parts of warfare, like the general production of weapons, than losing a valuable worker... Especially since it is reasonably easy to breed a replacement or two.

So, generally... Yeah, both sides have their points. I would suggest a more... open- minded resolution, to ensure that both sides are satisfied, for a better world..."

He hesitated, and eventually stopped, sitting down. I just hope they listened...

Jehvah stared at Maxwell, and quietly wrote on a notepad (in goa'uld mind) 'have this insolent tar shot.'