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STORY: UN/ DRC CHILDREN
TRT: 2.07
SOURCE: UN
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS
DATELINE: 26 NOVEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY
FILE, RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations Headquarters
26 NOVEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, press briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict:
“I can say that my visit to the DRC was an opportunity to remind everyone that we don’t forget children, that they suffered a lot during the conflict, they are very much affected by the conflict. They were recruited, they were killed, maimed, used. But also, they lost they environment. Their schools were looted, military used, destroyed, they were displaced from their homes, they lost members of their families.”
4. Wide shot, press briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict:
“I think that what I saw there, specifically in the area where people were under occupation of armed groups, that suppressed them and committed a lot of atrocities, what they want and I cannot forget the signs of women and girls asking for peace. We need peace. We need peace. We need peace.”
6. Wide shot, press briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict:
“And the challenges that we have are –first of all- that children that are associated with armed groups are not considered as enemies, but as victims. And deal with them and treat them as such.”
8. Zoom out, end of press conference
After a seven-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, underlined today (26 November) that the current peace process in the eastern DRC is an opportunity to better protect children affected by the conflict-related violence.
During her trip, Zerrougui met with national, provincial and local authorities in Kinshasa, Goma, Rutshuru and Beni.
She said that her visit to the “DRC was an opportunity to remind everyone that we don’t forget children, that they suffered a lot during the conflict, they are very much affected by the conflict.”
She noted that children not only “were recruited, they were killed, maimed, used” but also “lost they environment.”
Zerrougui reviewed the progress in the implementation of the Action Plan signed in October 2012 by the Government to end and prevent recruitment and use of children by national security forces, as well as sexual violence.
“I think that what I saw there”, she noted, “specifically in the area where people were under occupation of armed groups, that suppressed them and committed a lot of atrocities, what they want and I cannot forget the signs of women and girls asking for peace.”
She added “We need peace. We need peace. We need peace.”
Since the signature of the Action Plan, hundreds of children have been released as a result of stronger cooperation between the Government and the United Nations.
Zerrougui reconfirmed the commitment of Congolese authorities to make their army child-free.
She added that “we now have to address the remaining challenges to consolidate progress, achieve stability and ensure sustainability in the long term.”
To do so, she stressed, strong political will is essential to strengthen state authority and justice system.
She outlined “and the challenges that we have are –first of all- that children that are associated with armed groups are not considered as enemies, but as victims. And deal with them and treat them as such.”
Zerrougui recommended that adequate resources must be allocated in the national budget, to ensure the sustainability of the support provided by the UN and its partners.
Finally, the Special Representative said that the UN in DRC renewed the commitment to support the Congolese people to protect children and help them to build the future of the country.
