"Protecting Children from War" Conference

In 2007, France and UNICEF organised the "Free Children from War" Conference in Paris. Upon its conclusion, the Paris Commitments and Paris Principles were adopted.

These two texts set out guidelines to protect children unlawfully recruited or used by armed forces or armed groups on the one hand, and on the other to facilitate their release and reintegration into their communities with other vulnerable children affected by armed conflict. Since then, 105 states have endorsed these Principles and Commitments.

Ten years later, continuing the international mobilisation

Now, ten years later, on 21 February 2017, France and UNICEF organised a ministerial conference in Paris on "Protecting Children from War" in order to continue this international mobilisation. It was chaired by French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, in the presence of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Leila Zerrougui.

This event brought together all actors working to protect children in armed conflict, i.e. almost 120 delegations (States, international and non-governmental organizations, keynote contributors and public figures).

The participants underlined the importance of a universal adoption of the Paris Principles and Paris Commitments and were pleased to see that three States, Kazakhstan, Myanmar and Tunisia, had endorsed these texts at the end of this conference.

The goals of the conference

• To assess the situation of children in armed conflict since the adoption of the Paris Commitments and Paris Principles in 2007.
• To recall the existing regulatory framework and promote its implementation, to identify possible avenues for progress.
• To identify States’ voluntary commitments in this regard, including the endorsement of the Paris Commitments and Paris Principles by new countries.

For more information: France Diplomatie