AU condemns use of children in armed conflicts in Africa
BY Xinhua The African Union (AU) has strongly condemned the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts in Africa and called for an end to such practices. The call was made in line with the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, which is annually commemorated on Feb. 12. The statement, which was attributed to Bankole Adeoye, AU commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, and Jainaba Jagne, permanent representative of the Gambia to the AU, in their capacity as the co-chairs of the Africa Platform on Children Affected by Armed Conflicts (APCAAC), called for concerted efforts against the scourge. The AU encouraged its member states to take systematic and targeted steps to protect children against violations of all their rights, especially the recruitment and use of boys and girls in conflict situations. It called on African countries […]