The United Nations put Russian forces on its annual blacklist of countries that violate children’s rights in conflict for killing boys and girls and attacking schools and hospitals in Ukraine, according to a new report seen Thursday by The Associated Press. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in the report to the Security Council that he is “appalled” by the high number of “grave violations” against children in Ukraine in 2022, “shocked” at the number of attacks on schools and hospitals, “concerned” by the detention of children, and “troubled” that some Ukrainian children have been transferred to Russia.
The U.N. chief did not put Israel on the blacklist for grave violations against 1,139 Palestinian children, including 54 killings last year — as supporters had hoped. Instead, he welcomed Israel’s engagement with the U.N. special envoy for children in armed conflict, Virginia Gamba and its “identification of practical measures including those proposed by the U.N.” to protect children.
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told reporters Guterres “made a big mistake” in not listing the most extreme government in Israel’s history.
“It is very disappointing to the Palestinian people and to the Palestinian children,” he said.
In the wide-ranging report, the secretary-general said that last year children were disproportionately affected by conflict. He said the U.N. verified grave violations against 13,469 children, including 2,985 who were killed, in 24 countries and one region.
“Grave violations” include the recruitment and use of youngsters by combatants, killings and injuries, sexual violence, abductions, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
The U.N. chief said he is also concerned by the number of grave violations against children by Ukrainian forces and urged them to abide by protections for civilians under international law. According to the report, Ukrainian armed forces were responsible for the deaths of 80 children and injuries to 175 others, as well as 212 attacks on schools and hospitals.
