Oxfam welcomes today’s Open Debate on the UN’s 2023 Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, which highlights the urgent need for all parties involved in armed conflicts to respect their international obligations and to prioritise the protection of children.
Oxfam spokesperson Nicola Bay said: “Oxfam is deeply concerned with the findings of the UN’s new report, including of the shocking number of children killed and maimed last year in the conflict in Ukraine. Most of these casualties were as a result of explosive weapons, which is clearly in breach of international humanitarian law. Oxfam urges all parties involved in the conflict to take immediate measures to prevent violations against civilians, particularly children, including by them cooperating with the UN and other relevant entities. Parties must respect international humanitarian law that explicitly prohibits attacks on civilians, including children, and is intended to ensure that essential services such as schools and hospitals are protected from harm. All parties must stop using explosive weapons in populated areas and grant humanitarian agencies unimpeded access for their efforts.”
Notes to editors
As a result of the escalation of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Oxfam mobilised to provide vital humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people affected by the crisis both in Ukraine and those who fled to countries in the region. We are primarily working with 35 local civil society organisations who are already supporting displaced people and the communities that host them. Together we have supported more than 1.2 million people across Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova.
