The Mozambican government has taken "proactive steps" to protect children in conflicts, which "can serve as an example to all member states". This was said by Portugal's permanent representative on the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

Speaking yesterday at an annual Security Council debate on children and armed conflict, Portugal's permanent representative to the UN, Ana Paula Zacarias, said that despite the "bleak picture" presented in the UN's annual report - which found 27,180 grave violations against children in 2022 - "there are achievements that can serve as an example to all member states" that wish to move forward in this context.

"Mozambique is, in our view, one such example. Despite the difficulties in Cabo Delgado, where serious violations against children have been documented, the government is taking proactive steps. An Interministerial Commission on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law has been established, a Child Protection Focal Point of the Armed Forces has been appointed and there is increased training of the armed forces in the prevention of serious violence. Examples like this should be welcomed," said the diplomat, quoted by Lusa.

Ana Paula Zacarias also stressed the importance of education to prevent violations against children, as well as conflict prevention and sustainable development.

"Portugal believes that the international community must pay greater attention to the scope of justice, which includes livelihood support and full access to mental health and psychological services. We cannot give back childhood to those who have been deprived of it, but we must take it as a shared responsibility to give them back hope and all the support we can," she concluded.

In the report presented yesterday, the UN found 27,180 serious violations against 18,890 children last year, with murder, mutilation, recruitment and kidnapping being the situations recorded in the greatest number.

Of this total of grave violations, 24,300 were committed in 2022 and 2,880 previously, but only verified in 2022, according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres' annual report on children and armed conflict.

The conclusions of the report were presented yesterday at a meeting of the UN Security Council, where the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, indicated that minors continue to be disproportionately affected in wars and armed conflicts.