THE UNITED NATIONS, June 19. /TASS/. Russia shares the world’s concerns over the difficult fates of children in war-torn regions all over the world, Russia’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations Vitaly Churkin told a session of the UN Security Council focusing on children and armed conflict.
"A new tendency arouses particular concern - violence against children by terrorist organisations and groups confessing the ideology of violent extremism," Churkin said. "Weakened governmental institutions in the Middle East and North Africa have created breeding grounds for the growth of violent extremism and terrorism. "The so-called Islamic State in the full view of a watching world has seized considerable areas announcing them a Caliphate and imposing its rules there." Children are the first to be affected by these groups."
Russia vehemently condemns violations of international humanitarian law, international law on human rights and rights of refugees against children whoever has committed them, the Russian envoy said. "In this context the worsening situation in Yemen arouses particular concern," he said. "Syrian children’s tragic circumstances make up another argument in favour of urgency for the soonest settlement of the conflict."
"Evidently, the scale of violations affecting children within the framework of various armed conflicts dictates the need for particular attention to after-care for these children, to psychological, medical and legal assistance provided for them," Churkin said noting that most of the war-gripped countries were making attempts to change the children’s life for the better inside their countries.
"They have the right to expect assistance in these efforts from both the UN agencies and organisations of civil society," Churkin said.