Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conclict in Côte d'Ivoire

Children and Armed Conflict

Published by: United Nations (UN) Security Council, 2006
Via: UNPulse

The present report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of
Security Council resolution 1612 (2005). It is presented to the Council and its
Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict as the first country report from Côte
d’Ivoire from the monitoring and reporting mechanism referred to in paragraph 3 of
that resolution. The report, which covers the period from January 2005 to
September 2006, specifies the grave violations perpetrated against children in Côte
d’Ivoire, particularly the killing and maiming of children, rape or other instances of
grave sexual violence, especially against girls, and the abduction of and trafficking in
children.

The report highlights in particular ongoing conflict among ethnic groups
and communities, which is having a severe impact on the lives and well-being of
children and preventing the voluntary return of internally displaced persons to their
homes. The report also highlights the progress made in dialogue with parties to the
conflict and outlines the consequent action plans of the Forces nouvelles and four
pro-Government militia groups in western Côte d’Ivoire to end the use of child
soldiers and release all children associated with their forces. The report stresses the
responsibility of the Government and the Front populaire ivoirien to support the
United Nations in the identification and establishment of similar dialogue with all
other militia groups. It also highlights the follow-up and programmatic response to
violations.