UN expert calls for urgent measures for children trafficked in conflicts – Jurist.org

Report on Conflict-Related Child Trafficking and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Urgent Call to Action on Child Protection

A United Nations Special Rapporteur has issued an urgent call for specialized protection measures to combat the systematic trafficking of children in conflict situations. The report highlights significant failures in upholding children’s rights, which directly undermines progress towards several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

The Special Rapporteur, Siobhán Mullally, emphasized in a report to the General Assembly that persistent gaps in prevention, protection, and accountability have devastating consequences, denying children their fundamental rights to life, survival, and development as enshrined in the 2030 Agenda.

Systematic Exploitation: A Barrier to SDG 8 and SDG 16

The report identifies a severe escalation in child exploitation within conflict zones, presenting a direct challenge to the achievement of specific SDG targets. The rate of child labor in conflict areas is reported to be three times higher than the global average, a stark violation of SDG Target 8.7, which calls for the immediate eradication of the worst forms of child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking.

Children in conflict zones face heightened risks of trafficking for numerous purposes, including:

• Forced labor and servitude
• Recruitment for active combat and support roles
• Sexual exploitation and forced marriage (contrary to SDG 5)
• Illegal inter-country adoption and forcible transfer
• Forced criminality and begging

Specific cases cited include the alleged expedited adoptions and forcible transfer of children in Ukraine and the recruitment of children by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, illustrating a failure to meet the objectives of SDG Target 16.2 to end abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against children.

State Obligations and Failures in Upholding Justice (SDG 16)

A critical finding of the report is that states frequently contravene their international obligations under instruments such as the Geneva Conventions and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Instead of protecting children associated with armed groups as victims of trafficking, authorities often arrest and detain them. This practice violates the non-punishment principle and undermines the goal of providing access to justice for all (SDG 16.3).

The report underscores that such actions are in direct opposition to the Paris Principles, which guarantee the rights of children trafficked in armed conflict and are essential for building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies.

Recommendations for Advancing the 2030 Agenda

To address these protection gaps and realign efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Special Rapporteur provided several key recommendations:

1. Prioritize Child Recovery and Reintegration: Focus on rights-based family reunification for children associated with armed groups, supporting their well-being (SDG 3) and access to justice (SDG 16).
2. Establish Child-Friendly Systems: Implement child-friendly anti-trafficking measures and comprehensive child justice systems to ensure protection rather than punishment.
3. Enhance Early Identification: Adopt robust screening and referral mechanisms for the early identification of child victims or those at risk, ensuring timely protection and assistance.
4. Ensure Humanitarian Access: Guarantee safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver essential protection and assistance services effectively.

These recommendations align with broader efforts, such as UNICEF’s action plan against child trafficking, and are presented as critical steps for states to fulfill their commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues of child trafficking, forced labor, and exploitation in conflict zones, which directly connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This is the most central SDG, as the article focuses on the failure to protect children from violence, trafficking, and exploitation within conflict situations, and calls for justice systems and the rule of law to protect them.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article explicitly mentions child labor, forced labor, and servitude as key purposes for child trafficking, which are core concerns of this goal.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: The specific mention of child marriage as a form of exploitation and trafficking directly links the article’s content to this goal, which aims to eliminate all harmful practices against women and girls.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific issues raised in the article, the following SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. The entire article is centered on this target. It details various forms of child trafficking in conflict, including “illegal inter-country adoption,” “forcible transfer of children,” “sexual exploitation,” and the recruitment into armed groups, all of which constitute abuse, exploitation, and violence against children.
2. Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms. The article directly addresses this target by highlighting that “child labor in conflict situations is three times higher than the world average” and mentions trafficking for “forced labor and servitude” and the “recruitment of children in armed conflict” in Sudan.
3. Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation. The article explicitly lists “child marriage” as one of the purposes for which children are trafficked in conflict situations, making this target directly relevant.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not cite official SDG indicator codes but mentions or implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that can measure progress:

• Prevalence of child labor in conflict zones: The article provides a direct data point, stating that “child labor in conflict situations is three times higher than the world average.” Tracking this ratio serves as a clear indicator for Target 8.7.
• Number of children recruited by armed groups: The specific mention of “recruitment of children in armed conflict primarily by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan” implies that the number of children associated with armed forces is a key indicator for Targets 8.7 and 16.2.
• Incidence of forcible transfer and illegal adoption: The reference to “patterns of alleged expedited adoptions and forcible transfer of children in Ukraine” suggests that the number of such cases is a measurable indicator of trafficking and exploitation under Target 16.2.
• Existence of protection and justice mechanisms: The recommendations for “robust screening and referral mechanisms,” “child-friendly anti-trafficking measures,” and “comprehensive child justice systems” are process indicators. Their establishment and effectiveness can be measured to track progress towards protecting children (Target 16.2).
• Level of humanitarian access: The call for “safe and unimpeded humanitarian access” implies that the degree of access granted to aid organizations is an enabling indicator for delivering protection and assistance to child victims.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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