UN Secretary-General Releases Report on Children and Armed Conflict in South Sudan (December 11, 2014) [1]
On December 11, 2014, the United Nations Secretary-General released a report [3] on children and armed conflict in South Sudan, the first of its kind since South Sudan seceded from the Sudan in July 2011. The report “contains information on the six grave violations against children and, more broadly, on the situation of children affected by armed conflict during the period from 1 March 2011 to 30 September 2014.” It further “demonstrates that all parties to the conflict in South Sudan were responsible for grave violations against children during the reporting period, including killing and maiming, recruitment and use, abduction and rape and other forms of sexual violence.” According to the press release [4], “the report called on the Government of South Sudan to develop a disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme for children separated from armed forces and groups. This programme should be designed to ensure that children receive adequate support and reintegration assistance, with particular attention to the specific needs of girls.”