Rabat: Ministers and heads of delegations from African states participating in the Conference adopted the Declaration, reaffirming their firm commitment to fighting the recruitment and exploitation of children in armed conflicts, acts described as “serious violations of international law and an affront to humanity.”
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the Declaration expresses deep concern over the continued perpetration of serious violations against children, including forced recruitment, sexual violence, abduction, and the obstruction of access to education and humanitarian assistance. The document also emphasizes prevention as the most effective way to end the phenomenon of child soldiers. Delegations called for the creation of protective environments, the strengthening of community resilience, the establishment of early-warning mechanisms, and the fight against the root causes of recruitment.
Ministers highlighted the importance of programs combining psychosocial support, family reunification, social inclusion, schooling, and economic empowerment, as well as the need to combat stigma and promote reconciliation within communities. The Rabat Declaration further calls for strengthened regional and international cooperation, highlighting the central role of African organizations, local communities, and civil society in prevention, protection, and reintegration efforts for children associated with armed forces and groups.
The text also stresses that peacebuilding and post-conflict processes must systematically integrate child protection, recognizing children not only as beneficiaries but also as agents of change within African societies. The Rabat Declaration additionally announces the launch of a process to develop a specific African legal instrument, in the form of a continental convention dedicated to preventing the recruitment of child soldiers and supporting their reintegration.
To this end, African ministers decided to establish the “Child-Centered Group of Friends on DDR,” a platform intended to support the process and galvanize collective efforts. Adopted in Rabat, the Declaration reaffirms the shared ambition of African countries to build a continent where every child can grow up free from fear, violence, and armed conflict, as well as their determination to contribute to global efforts to permanently eradicate the phenomenon of child soldiers.