By G M Forhadul Mozumder (Dhaka Bureau)
As global wars, conflicts, and geopolitical tensions reach dangerous new heights, innocent children are becoming the most brutal and silent victims of warfare. In a powerful message marking the UN-declared International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres fiercely jarred the conscience of world leaders. He issued a stark warning that thousands of children in conflict zones worldwide are falling victim to heinous crimes like rape, sexual slavery, forced marriage, and human trafficking- describing it as a grave crime against humanity.
Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: A Calculated Cruelty
According to the UN Secretary-General’s message and international human rights experts, sexual violence against children in conflict zones is not a series of isolated incidents. Instead, it is often a highly calculated ‘war tactic’ or weapon deployed by armed groups and militias. The core objective is to terrorize specific communities, permanently shatter their social fabric, and destabilize entire societies over the long term.
In today’s world, the trajectory of this crime is rising alarmingly in conflict-torn nations such as Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and Yemen. Strikingly, it is not just young girls; young boys are also increasingly becoming targets of this brutality. Many are abducted and forced into combat while being subjected to horrific abuse, trapping them in lifelong psychological trauma.
Most tragic of all, UN data reveals that the vast majority of these children never receive justice. Due to systemic and institutional weaknesses, perpetrators consistently enjoy impunity, while the victimized children are swallowed by social stigma, poverty, and profound insecurity.
Shattered Childhoods and the Crisis of Humanity
Experts warn that children who survive sexual violence in war zones carry deep psychological scars for the rest of their lives. Depression, severe anxiety, suicidal tendencies, and social isolation push their futures into darkness. Many are permanently forced out of the education system. Compounding this social malady, children born out of conflict-related sexual violence are frequently rejected by their families and communities, leaving them to face double discrimination.
Saddened by this reality, Secretary-General Guterres reminded the world, ‘The loss of a child’s childhood is not just a loss for one family; it is an irreparable loss for all of humanity.’
A Three-Pronged Action Plan to Overcome the Crisis
To combat this crime of pandemic proportions, the UN Secretary-General presented a three-pronged action plan to the international community:
1. Protection: Child protection must be placed at the absolute center of global peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. Ensuring safe shelter, emergency healthcare, and humanitarian assistance for children in conflict zones is a legal and moral obligation for all states.
2. Accountability: The culture of impunity for perpetrators must end. The strict enforcement of international law and human rights frameworks is vital to bringing criminals to justice swiftly and ensuring accountability for victims.
3. Prevention: The root causes of sexual violence must be uprooted by building strong state institutions, establishing the rule of law, and raising widespread social awareness.
Relevance to Bangladesh’s Role in International Peacekeeping
Although Bangladesh is not directly embroiled in war, this UN message carries profound significance for Dhaka. Bangladesh remains one of the world’s top troop-contributing countries to UN Peacekeeping Missions. In various hazardous conflict zones across the globe, Bangladeshi peacekeepers courageously serve as a shield to protect women and children. Consequently, the UN’s renewed global call to prevent sexual violence in warzones is deeply intertwined with Bangladesh’s diplomatic foresight and humanitarian contributions on the ground.
Pressenza’s Perspective: The Only Path to Sustainable Peace
In the current landscape of global politics, the nature of warfare may be evolving, but the bleeding of innocent people remains unchanged. Pressenza has always stood firmly for nonviolence and human rights. We believe that eradicating sexual violence in warzones is not merely a legal obligation; it is the foundational prerequisite for establishing sustainable peace on Earth.
World leaders must immediately demonstrate political will and extend effective international cooperation. Children must never be the targets of war. To safeguard future generations and permanently eliminate this horrific crime from the world, there is no alternative to global solidarity. The UN Secretary-General’s message is not a mere piece of rhetoric; it is an urgent final call to save humanity.
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The Writer:
G M Forhadul Mozumder: Staff Correspondent, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
