## International Day Against the Weapons of Children
February 12, 2024, marks the International Day against the Weapons of Children, as the United Nations has confirmed that the arming and exploitation of children for military and political purposes constitutes a war crime.
A group of humanitarian organizations in the Kurdistan Region issued a statement on this occasion, expressing concern over the widespread practice of arming children in armed conflicts worldwide. The statement highlighted that hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 18 are currently involved in armed conflicts, including in Iraq.
The statement also drew attention to the plight of thousands of Yazidi children who remain missing since 2014, many of whom were reportedly recruited by extremist groups like ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
The organizations emphasized their call for all Kurdish parties to refrain from recruiting children under 18, emphasizing that such actions carry severe international criminal consequences.
The International Criminal Court has imposed strict penalties for the illegal arming, torture, or kidnapping of children in armed conflicts.
The global community is united in its efforts to protect children from involvement in armed conflicts, ensuring their safety, security, and providing them with necessary support and opportunities.
In its resolution 2427 of 2018, the Security Council called for the reintegration of children previously recruited through long-term programmes, alongside providing healthcare, psychosocial support, and educational opportunities.