Checked Against Delivery
Thank you, Madam President.
And let me begin by thanking Special Representative Frazier, Executive Director Russell, and the Mr. Raymond for their valuable contributions.
Madam President,
Over the past three decades, this Council has built a strong institutional framework to protect children from the horrors of armed conflict.
It lays the foundation for a robust structure, that documents and verifies grave violations, identifies perpetrators and critically, promotes action plans and solutions to prevent further harm.
Yet, thirty years into this mandate, the Secretary-General’s report delivers a stark indictment.
As we have heard this morning, 2025 was the most dangerous year on record for children caught in conflict. More than 24,000 violations were recorded; each statistic a childhood robbed and a future destroyed.
The conclusion is clear: we do not suffer from a lack of norms and obligations. We do not suffer from a lack of mechanisms. We suffer from a failure of implementation. Of a widening gap between commitments made, and commitments met.
Madam President,
Our briefers have clearly reminded us that children continue to pay the highest price in conflicts around the world.
In Ukraine, children are killed and maimed by Russian missile and drone attacks on populated areas, while increased attacks on schools, hospitals and critical civilian infrastructure disrupt access to education, healthcare and essential services.
In Sudan, children face grave risks from widespread violence, forced displacement, recruitment and use by armed actors, and severe food insecurity.
In Gaza, we are alarmed that, according to UNICEF, even after the ceasefire last October, one child is killed every day on average. Meanwhile repeated displacement, destruction of schools and hospitals, and severe restrictions on humanitarian access adds to the catastrophic levels of suffering.
In Haiti, children are recruited in mass by gangs and sexual violence is used as a tactic to terrorise communities.
The list, unfortunately, goes on.
Madam President,
To reverse this insidious trend, allow me to make four urgent points.
First, and most fundamentally, parties to conflict must comply with their obligations.
Civilian objects must not be targeted.
Humanitarian access must be facilitated.
Children must never be recruited or used, subjected to sexual violence, abducted, or arbitrarily deprived of liberty.
Second, the scale of documented violations demands renewed efforts to ensure accountability.
Accountability is essential not only to deliver justice for victims, but to prevent future violations.
We need more than words. We need concrete measures including credible investigations, prosecution of perpetrators, and the implementation of action plans.
Third, education in conflict must be safe and protected.
The Secretary-General’s report documents a deeply troubling increase in attacks on schools.
We are especially concerned about the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan, now entering its fifth year. The ban is part of a broader system of institutionalised gender-based oppression and domination that must end immediately.
Every child has the right to learn, grow, and build their future without fear of violence or harm; schools, children and teachers must be protected from armed conflict to ensure safe, uninterrupted education for all.
We call on all States to fully implement existing commitments and obligations, including the Safe Schools Declaration and Security Council Resolution 2601.
The same applies to healthcare.
Targeted attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers violate international humanitarian law and deprive children of lifesaving care, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support.
Protecting healthcare workers means protecting children. It must remain a priority.
Fourth, Madam President,
In the face of such horrific findings, support for the Special Representative, her office, and the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, is more important than ever.
The Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism follows a rigorous and objective methodology, using a strict and transparent method of verification.
Reduced support risks reducing our ability to monitor, verify and respond to violations. We cannot allow this to happen.
For this reason, Denmark continues to financially support the office of the SRSG and UNICEF. We encourage all other Member States to do the same.
Finally, all listed parties must engage constructively with the United Nations.
We are particularly concerned that, for the first time, government forces were responsible for the majority of verified violations. This underscores the importance of maintaining an impartial, evidence-based listing process and ensuring that all listed parties, whether State or non-State actors, engage with the United Nations to develop and implement action plans.
Madam President, in closing,
Thirty years after the creation of this agenda, we must remember that children are never responsible for conflict. They, as victims and survivors, require urgent protection.
Protection that is applied consistently across all situations, without exception.
Denmark stands ready to work with all partners to this important end.
I thank you.
