Statement of the SRSG at the Signing Ceremony of the Action Plan with the Government of Afghanistan Kabul, 30 January 2011

Excellencies,

Let me begin by paying tribute to Mrs. Hamida Barmaki, the Child Rights Commissioner with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and her work in promoting and defending child rights in Afghanistan. She was a courageous, principled fighter for children and her presence will be deeply missed. The tragic loss of such a distinguished human rights defender must only strengthen our resolve to prioritize and advance the protection of all children in Afghanistan.

I would like to acknowledge the presence of Dr. Zalmai Rasul, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Your participation today is a testament to the level of commitment of the Afghan Government in building a better future for Afghan children affected by the ongoing conflict.

Let me also thank, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Afghanistan, for your key role in UNAMA's input into the Action Plan and for making yourself available to sign this important document today. Your child protection team has been proactive in enhancing the protection of the rights of children in Afghanistan.

I must also acknowledge the crucial role that UNICEF has played in this regard and for the many programmes that it carries out in the field. I am glad that the UNICEF Representative, Mr. Peter Crowley is also with us on this important occasion.

Excellencies,

Today's signing of the Action Plan to halt the recruitment and use of children in the Afghan National Security Forces and to prevent other child rights violations including sexual violence and killing and maiming is an important first step to end such practices. I feel honoured to be here today to sign and endorse this comprehensive agreement. With this solid foundation for the prevention and response to child rights violations in place, let us begin as immediately as today to implement these commitments. There is a challenging road ahead and girls and boys in Afghanistan are eagerly awaiting our action.

Excellencies,

The work among the different national institutions will be crucial to the successful implementation of this agreement. The recently established Afghan Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee on Children and Armed Conflict is critical in this sense and I am confident that concerted effort by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defence, Justice and others will further evolve and enable the effective and timely implementation of the Action Plan including the release of children, the criminalization of underage recruitment, accountability measures and the creation of an awareness campaign at every level, including military personnel.

Excellencies,

We have assisted various Governments in implementing Security Council-endorsed Action Plans and I can assure you that the United Nations - at the highest level - stands ready to support the Government of Afghanistan in fulfilling the agreement made today. I encourage you to make full use of this partnership through the United Nations-led Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting and the appointment of military, police and other government focal points who can interact with United Nations counterparts and child protection actors on a day-to-day basis.

Excellencies,

There is no doubt that the implementation of the current Action Plan is an ambitious undertaking. The implementation of a strengthened birth registration system and age determination procedures, the criminalization of falsification of the age in national identity documents, investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of underage recruitment and sexual violence, and the adoption of enabling national legislation- to name a few activities set out in the agreement - require sustained engagement and allocation of appropriate resources by the Government of Afghanistan and the international community. For this reason, it is important that the international community responds effectively to the call for reliable, sustainable and long-term support.

For three decades, generations of children in Afghanistan have grown up in the context of conflict. We are in constant dialogue with the government on child protection issues; however, non-state armed groups continue to violate the rights of children with impunity. Anti-government forces are active in various regions of the country. Access to and engagement with these parties is a prerequisite to ending the recruitment and use of children as suicide bombers, combatants or spies, some as young as thirteen. I encourage the Government and the United Nations to engage in a concerted dialogue with such groups particularly on this issue, and I call upon these groups and all parties to conflict to respond to their obligations towards the protection of children in Afghanistan.

During my last visit a year ago, I met with a girl called Aisha. Her house had been destroyed during an airstrike and her school had been burnt by the Taliban. Her eyes were full of sadness but she was determined to persevere and to become a teacher. My encounter with Aisha and her friends confirmed that Afghanistan remains one of the most difficult places to be a child. The world of these girls and boys is dominated by a constant battle to survive. I welcome the efforts of the Afghan government that have resulted in this signing today and urge them continue to bear the responsibility and to take the lead in protecting these vulnerable children.

Excellencies,

Today's agreement contributes towards the placing of the protection of children affected by the conflict in Afghanistan at the centre of the Government's agenda. Let us start now with a wide partnership, full ownership and renewed dedication to one goal: protect all children from the impact of the conflict and to prepare them for a durable peace in Afghanistan.

Thank you.