Chairs,
Norway commend the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship and the Estonian FSC Chair for convening today’s joint meeting, on the very timely and pressing issue of the protection of children in armed conflicts. We also thank the distinguished panelists for their valuable contributions.
Children are disproportionately affected by, and often the primary victims of, armed conflicts. The ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine has exacerbated this reality substantially. The consequences – both the immediate and the developmental, are profound and far-reaching.
Chairs,
Russia goes beyond conventional warfare in its exploitation of vulnerable Ukrainian children. As revealed in the report of the Moscow mechanism on the “Forcible Transfer and Deportation of Ukrainian Children to the Russian Federation”, methods like forced assimilation is frequently used by the Russian aggressor to erase Ukrainian children’s nationality and identity, preparing them for possible military service against their own country. Such inhumane methods constitute grave breaches on commitments set out in the Fourth Geneva Convention and must end immediately. In addition, the attacks against schools and hospitals continue unabated, leading to the killing and maiming of core children.
According to the latest UN report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, children in Ukraine are now contacted over social media and offered money to commit acts of sabotage, including arson and deployment of improvised explosive devices, against Ukrainian military targets and civilians. Some of them were killed carrying out these acts; others are now facing serious criminal charges.
Chairs,
Norway is following the developments with great concern. Last month, the Norwegian government increased the humanitarian support for work in Ukraine by a total of NOK 386 million (€33,4 million). A significant part of the support will go to efforts to improve the protection and safeguarding of children, including efforts to protect children deported to Russia. To reiterate the words of the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide; “'It is heartbreaking to hear the stories of thousands of children who have been forcibly deported to Russia since the start of the war. We want to help these children return and be reunited with their families. This is important to ensure that they can fully enjoy their right to life and liberty like other children, go to school, live a safe life at home and have access to healthcare.”
To conclude, Norway calls in all participating states to ensure that special attention is paid to children’s conditions in times of both peace and war, in line with the 1990 Copenhagen and the 1999 Istanbul documents.
Thank you, Chairs.