25 Jan
The coordination meeting of the Committee for Preventing Grave Violations against Children in Armed Conflicts was held at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday.
Firstly, Committee Chairman, and Union Minister, Dr Win Myat Aye said human rights is inherent from birth and exercising it or requesting it must adhere to existing laws and not negatively affect non-disintegration of the union, ethnic solidarity and sovereignty. He said the Child Law has been enacted and Section 17 on Children and Armed Conflict includes provisions to protect children from armed conflicts.
The Union Minister said ensuring there is no grave violations on children and protecting them is a protection for their rights as well. Implementing their rights required the formation of the national committee and working committees. He said they cooperate with UN agencies and NGOs and met with the UN Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (UNCTFMR) and the results of those meetings are evaluated and incorporated into the national committee’s action plans.
The Union Minister said this meeting will discuss those action plans and since the committee’s duties involve working with the UNCTFMR, the committee needs to coordinate directly when implementing the action plans. He said the committee’s main objective is to bring about the best benefits for children.
Next, the committee secretary, who is also Director-General of the Social Welfare Department, explained the opinions and recommendations of the Ministry of Defence and UNCTFMR concerning the national-level action plan to protect children in conflict areas from injury, death and sexual abuse. Attendees then discussed further and the Union Minister gave the closing speech at the end of the meeting, after which they all took a documentary group photo. —MNA (Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)
