On the occasion of the International Day against the use of children in armed conflicts, Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to protecting the rights of children in war zones and preventing their recruitment by armed forces or groups.
In recent years, violence against children in conflict settings has reached alarming levels: the latest United Nations estimates for 2024 report 41,370 serious violations, including killings, mutilations, recruitment, sexual violence, abductions, and attacks on schools — representing a 25% increase compared with the previous year.
Children continue to be the primary victims of indiscriminate attacks, violations of ceasefires and the worsening of humanitarian crises. In this context, Minister Tajani emphasised that the international community cannot remain passive in the face of tragedies affecting innocent children and highlighted Italy’s significant humanitarian initiatives to support minors affected by conflicts, including the transfer of hundreds of Palestinian children from Gaza to Italy for medical treatment.
The protection of minors, with particular attention to those living in situations of marginalisation or conflict, is central to Italy’s action in key multilateral fora and is one of the priorities of Italy’s mandate on the Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term.
