Washington slams violence against children in DRC at UN Security Council

The United States has reiterated its call for stronger safeguards for children caught in armed conflicts, shining a spotlight on the alarming situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This statement was delivered during the 10,182nd meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which focused on the issue of children and armed conflicts worldwide.

Speaking on behalf of the US government, Ambassador Jennifer Locetta, deputy representative for special political affairs at the US Mission to the United Nations, underscored that children continue to bear the heaviest cost of wars raging in various parts of the world.

“No child should be deprived of security,” the diplomat stated, echoing a message previously delivered by First Lady Melania Trump during a Security Council meeting last March. On that occasion, she highlighted the devastating consequences of international conflicts on children.

DRC among top concerns

During her speech, Locetta named the DRC among countries where children’s rights violations remain especially severe. The US condemned these abuses, stating that Congolese children continue to be the primary victims of ongoing clashes between armed groups in the eastern region.

“In conflict zones worldwide, children face numerous threats. In Sudan, reports show children being driven from their homes, separated from families, and subjected to sexual violence. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, millions of children are threatened by violence, forced displacement, and conflict-related sexual violence carried out by various armed groups. We strongly condemn these abuses, and under the Trump administration, the US continues to prioritize peace,” she stated in her address on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

Children, first victims of conflicts

The US ambassador emphasized that children are not merely collateral victims of wars but are often directly targeted. She noted that conflicts also hinder their access to safe, quality education, fueling a vicious cycle of poverty, instability, and violence that passes from one generation to the next.

“Too often, conflicts deprive children of reliable, safe education, closing the doors to their future and undermining their prospects. As is well known, this creates a cycle of poverty and instability that perpetuates across generations, sparking further conflicts and eroding global stability and economic prosperity. Worldwide, children deserve to feel safe, be educated, and have a future. By taking action to protect them, we safeguard our collective future and help bring an end to persistent conflicts,” she remarked in her speech.

Criticism of the UN report

The US diplomat also criticized the latest report by the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (CAAC), arguing that it does not help strengthen the protection of children in war zones.

According to Locetta, “the latest UN Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict (CAAC) does not bring us closer to that goal.” She said the document presents “a flawed view of civilian harm under the laws of war,” arguing that “the deliberate killing of children by the Houthis or other malicious armed groups is a grave violation; the accidental killing of civilians by a state’s armed forces is not.”

For the US representative, the report once again demonstrates “how the UN devotes time and resources to initiatives inconsistent with the interests and sovereignty of member states.”

“This report only reinforces the US decision to withdraw from the Office of the Special Representative for Children in Armed Conflict. It further damages the credibility of that office by wrongly equating the actions of US armed forces with those of Houthi terrorists. The protection of children remains a US priority. We continue to call for concrete measures to prevent children from being involved in armed conflicts. The publication of politicized and inaccurate reports will not achieve those goals,” she declared in her speech.

A call for international action

Beyond the DRC, the US also highlighted the situations in Sudan, Ukraine, and Haiti, urging all conflict parties to better protect children from violence, forced displacement, and grave rights violations. For Washington, child protection remains a critical issue for fostering long-term peace and stability in conflict-affected regions.

The impact of conflict on children in the DRC is primarily seen through six grave violations: recruitment and use of children, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals as well as protected personnel, abduction of children, and denial of humanitarian access.

While the situation was already alarming, it has worsened with the resurgence of the AFC/M23 rebellion, backed by Rwanda, which currently occupies large areas of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, despite diplomatic efforts by the United States, Qatar, and the African Union.