Statement by Oļegs Iļģis, Chargé d'affaires a.i. of Latvia, at the Event: Children’s Rights in the Crimes Against Humanity Treaty: Strengthening Children’s Rights and Inclusive Justice
Excellencies, dear Colleagues,
I would like to begin by thanking our fellow co-sponsors of this important side event for bringing together Member States, the UN, civil society, and experts to discuss how the future of the Convention on Crimes Against Humanity can better protect children and strengthen justice for victims and survivors.
This discussion is particularly timely. As we have read in the Secretary-General’s report, and as it was many times reaffirmed yesterday in the Security Council, grave violations against children are being committed at record-high levels. This troubling reality comes as we mark 30 years of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
We are witnessing efforts to restrict or deny access for independent monitors, undermine accountability processes, and question international humanitarian law and human rights law. Yet the CAAC mandate, with its evidence-based monitoring and reporting framework, has demonstrated the value of independent verification in bringing violations against children to light and supporting action for their protection.
Latvia strongly supports the mandate, as well as efforts to ensure that the Crimes Against Humanity Treaty reflects contemporary realities and responds effectively to the experiences of children affected by conflict.
With this in mind, Latvia has put forward proposals aimed at strengthening the child-rights dimension of the ILC Draft Articles on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. Despite the fact that tens of thousands of children are recruited and used by armed groups and forces in both international and non‑international armed conflicts, the current Draft Articles do not explicitly include the crime of recruitment and use of children. In this light, Latvia proposed to strengthen the Draft Article 2 and 12 to ensure, that the language of those articles specifically mention children and such proposal, in our view, would address the existing accountability gap.
Our proposals are guided by the principle that children are rights-holders whose voices, protection and access to justice must be meaningfully reflected throughout the Convention.
We also recognize the importance of examining various emerging proposals that are to be discussed today in more detail.
As negotiations start, we must strive for a Convention that is survivor and victim-centered, gender- responsive and capable of delivering accountability in the context of increasing grave violations against children.
I thank you!