Mordica Simpson
ECOSOC Advisor
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
October 9, 2020
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Madame Chair, and thank you Special Representative Gamba for your continued work on this critical issue.
The United States remains fully committed to supporting the UN’s critical work to address the impact of conflict on children wherever possible, preventing the unlawful recruitment and use of children, assisting affected children in recovering from conflict, and facilitating their reintegration with their families and communities. We continue to work vigorously with UNICEF to promote the health and well-being of children around the world.
We recognize that girls in particular often face systematic discrimination in their communities, are at high risk of gender-based violence both during and after conflict, and have unique needs in recovery after conflict.
While we welcome the Somali government’s commitment to implement a UN action plan to end the unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers, progress on implementation remains incomplete.
We appreciate the UN’s efforts to bring attention to the unlawful use of child soldiers by the Malian military, and by non-state armed groups in the country. We hope the newly installed transition government will prioritize this issue.
QUESTION: Special Representative, how can the international community support your work on this important issue, given the unique challenges posed by COVID-19 and its impact on the lives of children?
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