India voices concern over recruitment of children for terrorism-related activities across the world; Strongly rebuts Secretary General’s observation on use of force in Kashmir

India on Monday voiced concern over the “dangerous and worrying” trend in global terrorism of an increase in the number of children being recruited for terror-related activities across the world. Addressing the Security Council, India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that recruitment of children particularly amid the pandemic-induced school closure was of deep concern and called for ending impunity for all actors responsible for inciting and perpetrating grave violations against children.

“We are witnessing a dangerous and worrying trend in global terrorism and that is an increase in the number of children that are being recruited and involved in terrorism-related activities,” Foreign Secretary said at the Security Council open debate on Children and Armed Conflict on Monday.

Shringla said terror groups take advantage of the fact that children are the most susceptible to manipulation. School closures due to the pandemic have provided a greater opportunity to these terrorist groups to target children, including through online avenues, for radicalisation and indoctrination in violent extremist ideologies, he said.

“We believe that there is a need for a more coordinated approach in implementing the child protection and counter terrorism agendas. States need to demonstrate greater political will to hold the perpetrators of terrorism and their sponsors to account, and to fulfil the Council’s child protection obligations,” he said.

Shringla called for ending impunity for all actors responsible for inciting and perpetrating grave violations against children. “There must be greater accountability and sincere efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice by governments from whose territory such entities operate.”

“It is, therefore, important that states keep child protection concerns at the core of their pandemic response measures and recovery plans,” he said.

Speaking on India’s experience, Foreign Secretary said given India’s experience in UN peacekeeping over the decades, India recognizes the importance of having sufficient resources and requisite number of child protection advisers in peacekeeping missions for the effective implementation of child protection programmes. “The Council may consider incorporating adequate child protection provisions and capacities in all relevant mandates of UN peacekeeping operations”, he said.

Strongly rebuts Secretary General’s observation on use of force in Kashmir

Addressing the allegations of use of pellet guns on children in Kashmir by the Secretary General Antonio Guterres in his report, Harsh Shrigla brushed aside the allegations in strong terms and said that “despite the Council’s clear mandate, we note with concern that the Secretary General’s report includes allegations that are not situations of armed conflict or threats to the maintenance of international peace and security”.

He further said that the council must be cautious as attempts to selectively expand the mandate to politicize the agenda, diverting attention from real threats to international peace and security and to children in armed conflict.