The United Nations and the international community have called for an immediate release of child soldiers by South Sudanese warring factions.
The Group of Friends delegates met for the first time in South Sudan’s capital Juba, where they also expressed their desire to be involved in public advocacy.
It is estimated that there are close to 17,000 children being used in combat in South Sudan. And the first group for release is being pushed for and is expected sometime in early February.
“Our work is just not about the release children in the armed conflict. It’s about all violations of the rights of children in armed conflict – that is the killing and maiming, the recruitment and use; the abductions of children; sexual violence; dialogue of humanitarian access and attacks of schools and hospitals,” Head of children protection in UNIMISS Alfred Orono said.
He added that the release of the children will enable them to be reunited with their families.
“When you talk about the release, release is really significant in that it is a way of one first of all getting children out of the armed forces; two – it also helps educate the people that children should not be part of the armed forces; it also helps the families get the children back to them, and then provides opportunities for children to go back to school and lead the normal life that they are supposed to have but they have missed,” he said.
The Group of Friends say they will stand firm against the use of children in combat, despite various political and logistical setbacks.
South Sudan has been dogged by war for more than four years now, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions more.
The country is currently ranked as Africa’s biggest refugee crisis, coming third worldwide after Syria and Afghanistan.
