United Nations: The United Nations Secretary-General has taken India off a list of countries mentioned in a report on children and armed conflict over the alleged recruitment and use of boys by armed groups in J&K and their detention, killing and maiming by security forces.
This is the first time since 2010 that India has not been named in the report alongside countries like Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Lake Chad basin, Nigeria, Pakistan and the Philippines.
The report of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on ‘Children and Armed Conflict’ said India has been “removed from the report in 2023” in view of measures taken by the government to “better protect children”.
Officials of the Ministry of Women and Child Development said that this became possible due to the introduction of various policies and institutional changes since 2019.
An official statement said a road map for cooperation and collaboration on child protection issues was developed by the Ministry under the guidance and leadership of Smriti Irani, Union Minister of Women and Child Development.
The UN Secretary-General’s report stated: “In my previous report, I welcomed the engagement of the Government of India with my Special Representative and noted that the engagement may lead to the removal of India as a situation of concern.”
“In view of the measures taken by the Government to better protect children, India has been removed from the report in 2023,’’ Guterres said.
