United Nations Security Council Resolution 1379
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1379, adopted unanimously on November 20, 2001, after recalling resolutions 1261
(1999), 1265
(1999), 1296
(2000), 1306
(2000), 1308
(2000), 1314
(2000) and 1325 (2000), the Council considered provisions to protect children during peacekeeping
operations and requested the Secretary-General to identify parties to conflict that used or recruited child soldiers
.
Prior to the adoption of Resolution 1379, the first child to speak at the Security Council, a former soldier in Sierra Leone
, urged the body to do everything possible to assist young people forced to fight in situations of armed conflict around the world.
on children and consequences on peace, security and development. It stated its commitment to address the impact of armed conflict on children and underlined the need for all concerned parties to comply with the provisions of the United Nations Charter
and international law
.
of peacekeeping operations. It supported ongoing work by Secretary-General, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for Children and Armed Conflict, the United Nations Children's Fund
, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
and others. The importance of unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations to areas of conflict, particularly for vulnerable groups, was stressed. It would also address the impact of sanctions on children. Furthermore, the Council intended to consider connections between armed conflict and terrorism
, the illegal trade in precious minerals, illicit arms trafficking, and other criminal activities.
All parties to armed conflict were called upon to:
respect international instruments relating to children in armed conflict; protect and provide assistance to refugee
s and internally displaced person
s; promote and protect the rights of girls in armed conflict; abide by commitments made to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; provide protection for children in peace agreements.
All Member States, the Secretary-General, United Nations bodies and various international organisations were also asked to address the protection of children and child soldiers in areas of armed conflict. The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was requested to submit a report by October 31, 2002 on the implementation of the current resolution and to list parties involved in armed conflict that recruited children in violation of their international obligations; 23 parties were subsequently named.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1379, adopted unanimously on November 20, 2001, after recalling resolutions 1261
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1261
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1261, adopted unanimously on August 25, 1999, in the first resolution to address the topic, the Council condemned the targeting of children in armed conflict including the recruitment and use of child soldiers....
(1999), 1265
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1265
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1265, adopted unanimously on September 17, 1999, in the first resolution to address the topic, the Council discussed the protection of civilians during armed conflict.-Observations:...
(1999), 1296
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1296
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1296, adopted unanimously on April 19, 2000, after recalling Resolution 1265 , the Council discussed steps to enhance the protection of civilians during armed conflict.-Observations:...
(2000), 1306
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1306
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1306, adopted on July 5, 2000, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone, particularly resolutions 1132 , 1171 and 1299 , the Council decided to prohibit the direct or indirect import of rough diamonds from the country...
(2000), 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308, adopted unanimously on July 17, 2000, in the first resolution to address the impact of HIV/AIDS worldwide, the Council asked countries to consider voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counselling for troops deployed in peacekeeping operations.Speaking...
(2000), 1314
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1314
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1314, adopted unanimously on August 11, 2000, after recalling Resolution 1261 on children and armed conflict and other resolutions including 1265 , 1296 and 1306 , the Council expressed concern at the impact of conflict upon children and the use of child...
(2000) and 1325 (2000), the Council considered provisions to protect children during peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
operations and requested the Secretary-General to identify parties to conflict that used or recruited child soldiers
Military use of children
The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
.
Prior to the adoption of Resolution 1379, the first child to speak at the Security Council, a former soldier in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, urged the body to do everything possible to assist young people forced to fight in situations of armed conflict around the world.
Observations
The Security Council recognised the impact of armed conflictWar
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
on children and consequences on peace, security and development. It stated its commitment to address the impact of armed conflict on children and underlined the need for all concerned parties to comply with the provisions of the United Nations Charter
United Nations Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...
and international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
.
Acts
The Council pledged to consider the protection of children in armed conflict when discussing matters with which the Council was seized, and provisions for protecting children when considering the mandatesMandate (international law)
In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization like the United Nations to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization....
of peacekeeping operations. It supported ongoing work by Secretary-General, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
Special Representative of the Secretary-General
A Special Representative of the Secretary-General is a highly respected expert who has been appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to represent her/him in meetings with heads of state on critical human rights issues...
for Children and Armed Conflict, the United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund
United Nations Children's Fund was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II...
, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is a United Nations agency that works to promote and protect the human rights that are guaranteed under international law and stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948...
and others. The importance of unimpeded access for humanitarian organisations to areas of conflict, particularly for vulnerable groups, was stressed. It would also address the impact of sanctions on children. Furthermore, the Council intended to consider connections between armed conflict and terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
, the illegal trade in precious minerals, illicit arms trafficking, and other criminal activities.
All parties to armed conflict were called upon to:
respect international instruments relating to children in armed conflict; protect and provide assistance to refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s and internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s; promote and protect the rights of girls in armed conflict; abide by commitments made to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; provide protection for children in peace agreements.
All Member States, the Secretary-General, United Nations bodies and various international organisations were also asked to address the protection of children and child soldiers in areas of armed conflict. The Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
was requested to submit a report by October 31, 2002 on the implementation of the current resolution and to list parties involved in armed conflict that recruited children in violation of their international obligations; 23 parties were subsequently named.
See also
- List of international instruments relevant to the worst forms of child labour
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1301 to 1400 (2000 – 2002)