DAN JARVIS CHAIRS PARLIAMENTARY LAUNCH OF REPORT ON DEVASTING IMPACT ON CHILDREN LIVING IN CONFLICT.

Published 23 November 2020 at 11:27am

A total of 93,236 children have been killed or maimed in conflicts in the last 10 years, a Save the Children report revealed. That means 25 children, the equivalent of an average-sized classroom full of pupils, killed or injured every single day for the past decade.

On Tuesday 24 November, Mayor Dan Jarvis MP will chair the parliamentary launch of the charity’s shocking findings. As a British Army Major, Dan Jarvis served with The Parachute Regiment in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was also deployed to Kosovo, Sierra Leone and Northern Ireland during his 15 years in the Armed Forces.

Last year alone, more than a third of the verified child casualties were caused by explosive weapons. The impact of explosive weapons on children is devastating, robbing families of their hopes and dreams, and their ability to access vital services, and often profoundly altering the direction of a child’s life.

To limit the disastrous impacts of explosive weapons on children, Save the Children is urgently calling on states, including the UK, to curb the use of the weapons most harmful to children, control the sale of such weapons if they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international law, and hold those who disregard international laws and standards to account. Save the Children is also calling for the UK to support an Irish-led political declaration aimed at curbing the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region and former British Army Major, said:

“It’s impossible to understand the scale of human suffering documented in this report. At the heart of this tragedy are children caught up in conflicts they had no say over but were forced to pay a huge price all the same.

“2021 represents a golden opportunity to turn the page and rebuild our reputation. The UK will take on the G7 presidency and host COP26. Last week, the Prime Minster promised to, “bolster our global influence,” a sentiment we can all rally behind but it needs to be backed up by action.

“The last thing anyone wants is to be reading a similar report in 2030, reflecting on another decade of needless suffering and missed opportunities. Every child deserves the chance to live a peaceful, dignified life, free from war and insecurity. With enough political will that goal is well within our reach.”

Kevin Watkins, CEO of Save the Children UK, said:

“Behind the stark numbers are countless stories of the child victims of war. Many are casualties of the blatant disregard for international laws and standards, and governments who turn a blind eye. This cannot go on, and the UK must use its influence to ensure children affected by conflict are protected from harm. To make sure this happens, we call on the UK to endorse a political declaration on avoiding the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, and to make sure British allies follow our example.

“Last weekend, the world’s richest and most powerful leaders – including Boris Johnson – gathered for a virtual G20 summit hosted by Saudi Arabia. Just next door, millions of vulnerable children in Yemen don’t know where their next meal will come from or if they will survive the next airstrike or artillery shelling. This is an opportunity for world leaders to use their influence and their voice to make the right choice, and to stop the war on children.

“Never in human history have we been more aware of child rights violations – bombings are verified, recruitment is documented, and we see children starving on TV when they are denied aid. We have the means to prevent children from being harmed but we continue to see unbelievable violations, year on year. It is as if the world has stopped caring.”