Par: Priscila Néri, Posté le: Feb 12 09

Regions: Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Issues: Armed conflict, Child soldiers, War crimes

Tags: burma, child soldiers, childrens rights, Colombia, DRC, Duty to Protect, icc, Lubanga, Red Hand Day, unicef

UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki Moon speaks with the Hub at an event on Red Hand Day - the global day commemorating the fight to stop the recruitment and use of child soldiers - and states in unequivocal terms his commitment to "stamp out this violation of children's rights."

The Secretary-General says that he will work with world leaders, civil society and particularly youth leaders to address the issue, which he calls "certainly one of the most serious human rights violations. It is a crime to recruit children for the purpose of war - and it is just unacceptable."

Ban-Ki Moon also confirms that he will soon visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to meet former child soldiers there - a significant move, given the recent opening of the trial of Thomas Lubanga Dyilo for recruiting child soldiers in the DRC. 

Watch Ban-Ki Moon's short interview here:

To learn more about how children were used in the Congolese civil war, watch A Duty to Protect and On the Frontlines, two videos produced by the DRC-based organization Ajedi-Ka in partnership with WITNESS. 

To get involved where you are, visit the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers.