17 Aug 2012

GENEVA / MALI CHILD SOLDIERS

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today (17 August) said it had received reports that armed groups in northern Maliare increasingly recruiting and using children for military purposes, and called on all parties to keep them out of the way of conflict. CH UNTV

Posted at: August 17, 2012 12:18 pm

Duration: 01:16

Available in: SD

DOWNLOAD

Full script

STORY: GENEVA / MALI CHILD SOLDIERS 
TRT:  1:16
SOURCE: CH UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 17 AUGUST 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Wide shot, exterior Palais des Nations

17 AUGUST 2012, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1.	Wide shot, journalists
2.	SOUNDBITE (English) Marixie Mercado, UNICEF Spokesperson:
"UNICEF is raising the alarm over recruitment of children in northern Mali. UNICEF has received credible reports that armed groups in the north are increasingly recruiting and using children for military purposes. While it is difficult to establish precise figures, reliable sources have stated that the numbers involved are in the hundreds and appear to be escalating."
3.	Close up, panelists
4.	SOUNDBITE (English) Marixie Mercado, UNICEF Spokesperson:
"UNICEF is calling on all parties to the conflict as well as leaders and community members, to make sure that children are protected from the harmful impact of armed conflict and do not participate in hostilities. The recruitment and use of children under the age of 18 in armed groups is prohibited by international law and constitutes a war crime and crime against humanity if children are recruited an used under the age of 18, 15, sorry."
5.	Close up, journalist
6.	SOUNDBITE (English) Marixie Mercado, UNICEF Spokesperson:
"A lot of children join armed groups voluntarily and sometimes even with the consent of their parents and really the overwhelming driver of this is desperate poverty."
7.	Wide shot, journalists

STORYLINE

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) today (17 August) said it had received reports that armed groups in northern Mali are increasingly recruiting and using children for military purposes, and called on all parties to keep them out of the way of conflict.

The UNICEF spokesperson, Marixie Mercado, told journalists in Geneva today (17 August) that they had received "credible reports" of increasing numbers of boys being used for military purposes - as fighters, porters, cooks and for patrols.

The recruitment and use of children under the age of 18 by armed groups is prohibited by international law, and constitutes a war crime and crime against humanity if children are recruited and used under the age of 15.

The UNICEF Spokesperson said that not all children are forcibly recruited, as many join voluntarily or even with the consent of their parents. She said "the overwhelming driver of this is desperate poverty".

Last month, the agency had reported that at least 175 boys, between the ages of 12 and 18, were directly associated with armed groups in the north, where fighting between Government forces and Tuareg rebels broke out in January.

The instability and insecurity resulting from the renewed clashes, as well as the proliferation of armed groups in the region and political instability in the wake of a military coup d'état in March, have led over 250,000 Malians to flee to neighbouring countries. Some 174,000 Malians are estimated to be internally displaced.

UNICEF also warned of the deteriorating conditions in northern Mali, where the malnutrition rate is among the highest in the country. Schools have been closed for much of the year and cholera has surfaced along the Niger River.

UNICEF's Emergency Appeal for USD 58 million is so far only 28 percent funded.

Filed under MALI UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund.