I recently received a copy of the briefing paper prepared by World Vision Ireland on children of war. This paper highlights the fact that there are more than 300,000 children actively engaged in conflict around the world. This represents an increase of 50,000 in recent years. War, poverty, displacement and marginalization are the root causes of this horrific phenomenon.
This issue is of particular concern to me and I strongly support international efforts to stop the use of child soldiers. In particular, we are actively supporting the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. The special representative, Mr. Olaru Otunnu, acts as an advocate for the adoption of measures to protect children and their mothers in areas of armed conflict, to prevent the recruitment of children as armed combatants, and to promote the demobilisation and reintegration of children who have been engaged in armed conflict with particular reference to their mental and physical health and education.