Maps and narratives of hotspots of Persecution of Children
During the last three decades, the number of children who are affected by violent conflicts has doubled. In the same period there was a 170% increase in grave violations against children in those areas.
The combination of increasing economic inequality and climate change with decreasing investment in prevention and solutions has inevitably contributed to the rise in violent conflicts and displacements. Save The Children director Inger Ashing, predicts an increase of 5-10% in such conflicts on every inhabited continent in 2025. No place will be spared. In 2024 the difficulty and danger of humanitarian aid has reached an all-time high.
International Study of Organized Persecution of Children (ISOPC)
Definition of Terms:
- Definition of Persecution
- The ICC (International Criminal Court) Statute defines persecution as “the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group or Collectivity. Thus, the ICC argues that killing children may be murder, massacre or other, but it is not defined as persecution if it is not based on the selection of these children based on the identity of the group to which they belong. We could elaborate on this to mean because of their gender, nationality, religion, or race but this is not specified. So it could also refer to individuals who are highly educated, urbanized, or speak a different language. Do we fight because of our divisions or exaggerate our divisions to solidify our fights?
In the Kvocka et al. Case (2 November 2001), the Trial Chambers of the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) found that the following acts may constitute persecution when committed with the requisite discriminatory intent: imprisonment; unlawful detention of civilians or infringement upon individual freedom; murder; deportation or forcible transfer; “seizure, collection, segregation and forced transfer of civilians to camps”; comprehensive destruction of homes and property; the destruction of towns, villages, and other public or private property and the plunder of property; attacks upon cities, towns, and villages; trench-digging and the use of hostages and human shields; the destruction and damage of religious or educational institutions; and sexual violence (para. 186).
In the Simic Case (28 November 2006), the Appeals Chamber of the ICTY held that underlying acts could amount to persecutions only when this is determined that those acts have met the criteria (see above) and attained the level of gravity equal to the crimes listed in Article 5 of the Statute (crimes against humanity).
- The ICC (International Criminal Court) Statute defines persecution as “the intentional and severe deprivation of fundamental rights contrary to international law by reason of the identity of the group or Collectivity. Thus, the ICC argues that killing children may be murder, massacre or other, but it is not defined as persecution if it is not based on the selection of these children based on the identity of the group to which they belong. We could elaborate on this to mean because of their gender, nationality, religion, or race but this is not specified. So it could also refer to individuals who are highly educated, urbanized, or speak a different language. Do we fight because of our divisions or exaggerate our divisions to solidify our fights?
- Definition of Organized: The ISOPC furthermore, specifies “organized” thereby excluding the act of an individual actor. Likewise we focus on attacks against collectivities or groups of persons, rather than an attack on one individual. Thus the persecution has some organized structure such as found in a militia, rebel group or government.
- Definition of Children The ISOPC defines children as those of age 13 and under.
- Definitions of Organized Persecution of Children
- Where children are specifically targeted: Such as:
Recruitment and use of children by armed forces or groups
Abduction of children
Attacks on schools and hospitals
Refusal or lack of humanitarian support like access to basic health care and use of explosive devices which disproportionally impacts children. - Where children are targeted as part of a larger collectivity including adults
One could question whether any attacks targeted at a collectivity of civilians inclusive of children would fulfill the definition of persecution of children, if children are not specific targets. However in most instances of modern armed conflicts children are not spared nor their deaths purposively avoided. Thus we have chosen to include such events as qualifying as organized persecution of children.
Furthermore, it can be pointed out that in modern times the location of conflict has increasingly changed from battlefields to cities, from deserts and jungles to villages.
The civilian population is not avoided but rather targeted by bombers and invaders. Too many dramatic examples come to mind: the flattening of Dresden and Gaza and the bombing of Hiroshima and Ngasacki.
- Where children are specifically targeted: Such as:
Thus, we can say that children are considered targeted when their deaths and injuries are not being avoided, when targets include hospitals, schools, safe zones, residences, and farm land. Savethechildren writes that people directing conflicts are putting children on the frontline. Wars are lasting longer and laying waste to the infrastructure needed to guarantee access to food and clean water. Thus, the most vulnerable, the elders and the children are disproportionately suffering the consequences of these brutal trends.
- We are seeing more children facing unimaginable mental and physical trauma.
- More children are going hungry.
- More children are falling victim to preventable diseases.
- More children are out of school.
- More children are at risk of recruitment by armed groups.
The harm that is done to children in armed conflict is not only often more severe than that done to adults, it has longer lasting implications – for children themselves and for their societies.
Children suffer in conflict in different ways than adults, partly because they are physically weaker and also because they have so much at stake – their physical, mental and psychosocial development are heavily dependent on the conditions they experience as children.
Conflict affects children differently depending on a number of personal characteristics, significantly age, but also disability status, ethnicity, religion and whether they live in rural or urban locations.
This material written up by savethechildren reinforces the conclusions that the ISOPC made in their books and articles and that child survivors themselves insisted upon, saying; “We are not the same as adult survivors.”
The report of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on their meeting 10th October 2024 was entitled ‘Shocking’ Death Toll of Children in Conflicts, Third Committee Urges Steps to Address ‘Unprecedented’ Surge in Grave Offenses.
The Third Committee focuses on Social Humanitarian and Cultural issues)
The United Nations has verified 32,990 grave violations against children in the year 2023 – the highest since mandated monitoring began. Highest levels of killings and maiming of children are found in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably the Gaza Strip, in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Ukraine according to a United Nations report (document A/79/245) just released by Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
Syrian delegate pointed out UN engagement with different parties to end grave violations against children does not note “a single engagement in the interest of children of the Occupied Palestinian Territory” despite the report’s clear acknowledgement of the highest numbers of children killed and maimed there during the reporting period.
The Committee members also discussed efforts being made to improve conditions.