Mizzima
The European Union (EU) made a written statement to an informal “Arria formula” meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the Children and Youth of Myanmar.
The statement is below:
The impact the February 2021 military coup and the escalating armed conflict has had on the children and youth of Myanmar is often forgotten. The EU welcomes the convening of an Arria-formula meeting on this issue, to consider how the international community can work towards a better future for the people of Myanmar, including its children, youth, and future generations.
Following the coup, the EU has put a large focus on supporting Myanmar’s most vulnerable communities, including children, working through and with civil society actors, NGOs and international organizations, notably the UN. With no political dialogue with the military regime in Myanmar, the EU supports the urgent needs of children in armed conflict through development cooperation and humanitarian aid interventions targeting three critical areas described below. The Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus is a key guiding principle of EU programming in Myanmar.
- The armed conflict triggered by the coup in Myanmar makes protecting children against violence an almost impossible task. The conflict continues to severely restrict freedom of movement, access to services, and the delivery of humanitarian aid due to violence, security risks, increased checkpoints, and severe infrastructure damage, exacerbated by onerous administrative procedures imposed by the military regime. Obstructions to humanitarian aid access and delivery, as well as extreme weather events, aggravate vulnerabilities. Children are particularly affected by heightened protection risks, with a 2023 UN Secretary General Report to the Security Council highlighting increased violations against children, including killing, mutilation and abduction. Around 8 million people need child protection interventions. High rates of child marriage, trafficking and unsafe migration are significant concerns, alongside child labour and recruitment into the military and other non-state armed groups. The EU supports protection by helping foster families and community actors engaged in children’s rights and through child labour prevention and protection policies for juvenile workers.
- The children of Myanmar’s right to education has been profoundly affected by a combination of prolonged school closures, political crisis and escalating conflict. All this has led to a significant increase in school dropout rates. The EU supports community-based remedial education programmes in Myanmar, improved access to ethnic education services, non-formal education to children and youth lacking access to formal education due to armed conflict and emergency education for internally displaced children. The complex political and operational environment characterized by an increased politicization of education, a volatile security situation and legal challenges renders supporting the Myanmar children’s right to education extremely challenging.
The coup has also created a health and nutrition crisis, with children across the country paying a very high price. The military regime has repeatedly attacked medical infrastructure and personnel. Access to healthcare has declined dramatically, with the public health system struggling to stay on its feet. Essential public health initiatives, including critical vaccination programs, and sexual and reproductive health services, have been disrupted or halted altogether. Political instability, food insecurity, armed conflict, and violence have for long had a deteriorating effect on the mental health and psychological wellbeing of the population. The particular impact on children will plague Myanmar for generations to come. Conflict and displacement have also exacerbated malnutrition among children. 12.9 million people in Myanmar, nearly one in every four, are experiencing acute food insecurity, which severely impacts the education and learning of children. Children make up about half of the more than three million displaced individuals in Myanmar. The fragile situation affecting agriculture, food and nutrition security requires substantial direct assistance to vulnerable populations with a focus on women, children and people with disabilities. The EU works to improve the nutritional status of women of reproductive age and children under five years, in conflict-affected communities and also provides pregnant and breastfeeding women and children aged under two with cash transfers.
