HRC 55rd Session: Item 3: Children and the armed conflict

13 March, 2024

Delivered by Shogher Sahakyan, Attaché

President,

Armenia aligns with the statement delivered by Belgium on behalf of the Group of Friends on Children and Armed Conflict.

We extend our appreciation to the Special Representative Virginia Gamba for her continued engagement with the Council.

The rights to life, health, education, freedom of movement of the children of Nagorno-Karabakh were grossly violated as the result of 10 months long inhumane blockade committed by Azerbaijan. In a subsequent use of military force 5 children were killed and 30.000 were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes. The dire situation was reported by the ICRC and UNHCR, among many others. The UNICEF stated, in particular that children refugees " are at risk of deteriorating mental health without immediate support."

Meanwhile, the state induced anti-Armenian hatred and intolerance in Azerbaijan does not spare the educational institutions. Hatred in school books and even kindergartens have been widely reported. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has observed that “an entire generation of Azerbaijanis has now grown up listening to hateful rhetoric.” It is this generation that has committed despicable atrocities, including against children in Nagorno-Karabakh.

I thank you.

MFA RA
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