Comments
On March 7, 2014, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2143, calling for increased efforts to protect children in armed conflict. According to the press release, “a new element in [the] resolution is references to the use of schools by armed forces.” In particular, the Security Council expressed “deep concern at the military use of schools in contravention of applicable international law, recognizing that such use may render schools legitimate targets of attack, thus endangering children’s and teachers’ safety as well as children’s education.” As such, the Security Council: urged “all parties to armed conflict to respect the civilian character of schools in accordance with international humanitarian law;” encouraged “Member States to consider concrete measures to deter the use of schools by armed forces and armed non-State groups;” urged “Member States to ensure that attacks on schools in contravention of international humanitarian law are investigated and those responsible duly prosecuted;” and called upon “United Nations country-level task forces to enhance the monitoring and reporting on the military use of schools.” Also of note, Resolution 2143 welcomed the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign initiated by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict and UNICEF, that aims to “end and prevent the recruitment and use of children by Government armed forces in conflict by 2016.”