On the International Day against the Use of Children in Armed Conflicts, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani reiterates Italy’s commitment to defending the rights of children around the world, particularly in conflict situations. With the proliferation of armed conflicts globally, millions of children are forced to daily deal with the reality of war, whose impacts are compunded by the unacceptable practice of enlisting children in various war contexts. The Italian Government strongly supports the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Children and Armed Conflicts, Virginia Gamba, and the United Nations programs to improve the lives of many innocent victims of conflicts. The Italian commitment has translated, within the European Union, into the push to update the “Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflicts (CAAC)”, finally adopted in June 2024. A direct effort, among other things, to encourage the adhesion of a growing number of countries to the “Safe Schools Declaration”, a declaration aimed at defending and ensuring the education of children also during armed conflicts, of which Italy was one of the first signatory countries in 2015. The commitment to the protection of minors in armed conflicts and against their recruitment constitutes an integral part of the program Italy’s candidacy to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 mandate.
PRESS RELEASE OF ITALY’S FOREIGN MINISTRY ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST THE USE OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICTS
