United Nations Security Council Resolution 1460
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1460, adopted unanimously on January 30, 2003, after recalling resolutions 1261
(1999), 1265
(1999), 1296
(2000), 1306
(2000), 1308
(2000), 1314
(2000), 1325 (2000) and 1379
(2001), the Council called for the immediate end to the use of child soldiers
and endorsed an "era of application" of international norms and standards for the protection of war-affected children.
upon children and emphasised the responsibility of all parties to comply with the United Nations Charter
and international law
, and end impunity
for those responsible for genocide
, crimes against humanity, war crime
s and crimes against children. It was important that humanitarian personnel had safe and unimpeded access and the coming into force
of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict
was welcomed. The Council further noted that enlisting children under the age of 15 into the national armed forces was classified as a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
.
for an "era of application" international standards concerning the protection of children in armed conflict. Parties to conflict that were using child soldiers were called upon to end such practices while a dialogue would be established with the parties to develop plans to end their recruitment and use. There was concern at the list of parties violating their international obligations attached in the annex of the Secretary-General's report and further steps would be taken.
Member States were called upon to adopt measures through national legislation to control arms trafficking in states that did not respect international law (the Fourth Geneva Convention
) relating to the military use of children and protection of civilians during war. The Council was determined to include provisions for the protection of children in the mandates
of peacekeeping
operations. There was concern at reports of sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly cases involving humanitarian workers and United Nations peacekeepers.
The Security Council requested the implementation of counselling and HIV
/AIDS
testing services for United Nations peacekeepers, police and humanitarian personnel. All concerned parties and other states were called upon to ensure that the rights of children were incorporated into peace and disarmament
, demobilisation
and reintegration processes, and to abide by commitments made to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu
.
Finally, the Secretary-General was instructed to submit a report by October 31, 2003 on the implementation of the current resolution, including a specific section on the protection of children in all of his future country-specific reports.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1460, adopted unanimously on January 30, 2003, after recalling resolutions 1261
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1261
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1261, adopted unanimously on August 25, 1999, in the first resolution to address the topic, the Council condemned the targeting of children in armed conflict including the recruitment and use of child soldiers....
(1999), 1265
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1265
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1265, adopted unanimously on September 17, 1999, in the first resolution to address the topic, the Council discussed the protection of civilians during armed conflict.-Observations:...
(1999), 1296
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1296
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1296, adopted unanimously on April 19, 2000, after recalling Resolution 1265 , the Council discussed steps to enhance the protection of civilians during armed conflict.-Observations:...
(2000), 1306
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1306
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1306, adopted on July 5, 2000, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in Sierra Leone, particularly resolutions 1132 , 1171 and 1299 , the Council decided to prohibit the direct or indirect import of rough diamonds from the country...
(2000), 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1308, adopted unanimously on July 17, 2000, in the first resolution to address the impact of HIV/AIDS worldwide, the Council asked countries to consider voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counselling for troops deployed in peacekeeping operations.Speaking...
(2000), 1314
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1314
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1314, adopted unanimously on August 11, 2000, after recalling Resolution 1261 on children and armed conflict and other resolutions including 1265 , 1296 and 1306 , the Council expressed concern at the impact of conflict upon children and the use of child...
(2000), 1325 (2000) and 1379
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1379
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1379, adopted unanimously on November 20, 2001, after recalling resolutions 1261 , 1265 , 1296 , 1306 , 1308 , 1314 and 1325 , the Council considered provisions to protect children during peacekeeping operations and requested the Secretary-General to...
(2001), the Council called for the immediate end to the use of child soldiers
Military use of children
The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities , or they can be used in support roles such as porters, spies, messengers, look outs, and sexual slaves; or they can be used for political advantage either as human shields or in...
and endorsed an "era of application" of international norms and standards for the protection of war-affected children.
Observations
The Security Council reiterated its commitment to address the impact of armed conflictWar
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
upon children and emphasised the responsibility of all parties to comply with the United Nations Charter
United Nations Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...
and international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
, and end impunity
Impunity
Impunity means "exemption from punishment or loss or escape from fines". In the international law of human rights, it refers to the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice and, as such, itself constitutes a denial of the victims' right to justice and redress...
for those responsible for genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, crimes against humanity, war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s and crimes against children. It was important that humanitarian personnel had safe and unimpeded access and the coming into force
Coming into force
Coming into force or entry into force refers to the process by which legislation, regulations, treaties and other legal instruments come to have legal force and effect...
of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict
Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict
The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Optional protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Annex I of a resolution on 25 May 2000.The protocol came into force on 12 February 2002....
was welcomed. The Council further noted that enlisting children under the age of 15 into the national armed forces was classified as a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court . It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and it entered into force on 1 July 2002. As of 13 October 2011, 119 states are party to the statute...
.
Acts
The resolution supported the call of the Secretary-General Kofi AnnanKofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
for an "era of application" international standards concerning the protection of children in armed conflict. Parties to conflict that were using child soldiers were called upon to end such practices while a dialogue would be established with the parties to develop plans to end their recruitment and use. There was concern at the list of parties violating their international obligations attached in the annex of the Secretary-General's report and further steps would be taken.
Member States were called upon to adopt measures through national legislation to control arms trafficking in states that did not respect international law (the Fourth Geneva Convention
Fourth Geneva Convention
The Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, commonly referred to as the Fourth Geneva Convention and abbreviated as GCIV, is one of the four treaties of the Geneva Conventions. It was adopted in August 1949, and defines humanitarian protections for civilians...
) relating to the military use of children and protection of civilians during war. The Council was determined to include provisions for the protection of children in the mandates
Mandate (international law)
In international law, a mandate is a binding obligation issued from an inter-governmental organization like the United Nations to a country which is bound to follow the instructions of the organization....
of peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
operations. There was concern at reports of sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly cases involving humanitarian workers and United Nations peacekeepers.
The Security Council requested the implementation of counselling and HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
testing services for United Nations peacekeepers, police and humanitarian personnel. All concerned parties and other states were called upon to ensure that the rights of children were incorporated into peace and disarmament
Disarmament
Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms...
, demobilisation
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
and reintegration processes, and to abide by commitments made to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu
Olara Otunnu
Dr.Olara A. Otunnu is a Lawyer and the President of the Uganda Peoples Congressand a Presidential Aspirant for the 2011 General elections in Uganda...
.
Finally, the Secretary-General was instructed to submit a report by October 31, 2003 on the implementation of the current resolution, including a specific section on the protection of children in all of his future country-specific reports.
See also
- Convention on the Rights of the ChildConvention on the Rights of the ChildThe United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is a human rights treaty setting out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children...
- List of international instruments relevant to the worst forms of child labour
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1401 to 1500 (2002 – 2003)