President Sahlework Urges African Leaders to Protect Children

Addis Ababa, February 10, 2020 ( ENA ) President Sahlework Zewdie urged African leaders to take up the task of protecting children’s rights across the continent.

A High Level Dialogue on children affected by armed conflict (CAAC) in Africa kicked off today on the sidelines of the 33^rd AU summit in Addis Ababa.

Addressing the High Level Dialogue, the President Sahlework highlighted the importance of children, where children and youth are Africa’s most precious asset yet she said they are the most vulnerable groups. 

She urged African leaders to renew their commitment to prevent and end grave violations against children and to strengthen their cooperation to better protect children across the Africa.

“If we fail to reduce the violent conflicts that affect too many of our countries, our children will be irreparably harmed for generations and sustainable development will not be achieved,” she added.

President Sahlework Zewdeie, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and representatives from different international agencies have participated on the High Level Dialogue.

There have been more than 55,882 grave violations against children in conflict affected areas in Africa between 2014 and 2018 according to an analysis by Save the Children.

This includes children being killed, maimed or sexually assaulted, despite commitments by African leaders to end all wars on the continent by 2020.

The greatest increase has been in the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, which has more than doubled in Africa in five years 

The last five UN Children and Armed Conflict Annual Reports reveal that there has been limited progress made towards protecting children in Africa, since the African Union's flagship campaign to “Silence the Guns” was launched in 2013.