Statement by H.E. Ms. Elina Kalkku, Permanent Representative of Finland on behalf of the Nordic Countries in the UNSC Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict

Statement by H.E. Ms. Elina Kalkku, Permanent Representative of Finland
on behalf of the Nordic Countries in the Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict

President,

I address the Council on behalf of the Nordic countries Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country Finland.

We commend the SRSG on Children in Armed Conflict, Ms. Vanessa Frazier, for her active and dedicated work since assuming this role in October last year. We encourage her continued advocacy and engagement with parties to armed conflict.

In addition to the valuable thematic debates – like the one we are having today – the Council should take the impact of conflict on children into account in all its country-specific considerations.

President,

In recent years, the scale of suffering endured by children in conflict zones has been devastating and deeply distressing. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian children have been unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred to Russia, Belarus, and Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. In Gaza, countless children have lost their lives or been left with profound, life-altering physical and psychological injuries amid ongoing violence. In Sudan, appalling reports continue to emerge of children subjected to wide-scale sexual violence and exploitation. Too many children have been denied lifesaving humanitarian assistance globally.

These are all grave violations against children in war zones. And they must stop now. International humanitarian law must be respected.

President,

Today we focus on the right to education, in times of conflict. The Nordic countries have all endorsed the Safe Schools declaration and are committed to protecting education in conflict zones.

The need to protect schools during armed conflict is not only rooted in safeguarding those within them, particularly children, but also in preserving the essential services that schools provide. While the Covid pandemic demonstrated that education can continue through remote and online learning, it also highlighted the limitations of such alternatives. Children benefit from presence of their peers and virtual teaching cannot fully replicate the sense of community that the schools provide. Schools are far more than buildings or places of learning; they are vital spaces for social interaction, healthy nutrition, psychosocial wellbeing, and for fostering social cohesion. Their protection is essential to the wellbeing of children and the resilience of communities.

The Nordic countries call upon all States to endorse and implement the Safe Schools Declaration, train military forces and security services accordingly, and strengthen early-warning and evacuation systems. Local communities, humanitarian actors, and educators should join forces to keep learning spaces neutral, protected, and resilient.

By protecting schools, we safeguard futures.

Thank you.