The United States has renewed its call for better protection of children caught in armed conflicts, highlighting the alarming situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This statement was made during the 10,182nd session of the United Nations Security Council dedicated to children and armed conflict worldwide.
Speaking on behalf of the US government, Ambassador Jennifer Locetta, alternate representative for special political affairs at the US Mission to the UN, reminded that children continue to bear the heaviest toll of wars in several regions.
“No child should be denied safety,” the diplomat said, echoing a message previously delivered by First Lady Melania Trump during a Security Council meeting in March. She had drawn attention to the devastating consequences of international conflicts on children.
DRC among top concerns
During her speech, Jennifer Locetta cited the Democratic Republic of Congo among countries where violations of children’s rights remain particularly grave. The US condemned these abuses, stating that Congolese children continue to be the primary victims of ongoing clashes between armed groups in the eastern part of the country.
“In conflict zones across the world, children face numerous threats. In Sudan, there are reports of children being driven from their homes, separated from their families, and subjected to sexual violence. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, millions of children are under the threat of violence, forced displacement, and conflict-related sexual violence perpetrated by various armed groups. We strongly condemn these acts, and under the Trump administration, the United States continues to prioritize peace,” she said in her address on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
Children as primary victims of conflict
The US ambassador emphasized that children are not just collateral victims of wars but are often directly targeted. According to her, conflicts also undermine their access to safe and quality education, fueling a vicious cycle of poverty, instability, and violence that is passed down through generations.
“Too often, conflicts deprive children of reliable and safe education, cutting off their paths to the future and compromising their prospects. As everyone knows, this results in a cycle of poverty and instability that is transmitted from generation to generation, fueling further conflicts and undermining global stability and economic prosperity. Everywhere in the world, children deserve to feel safe, to be educated, and to have a future. By taking steps to protect them, we preserve our collective future and help end persistent conflicts,” she noted.
Criticism of UN report
The US diplomat also criticized the latest report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (CAAC), arguing it does not enhance the protection of children in war zones.
According to Jennifer Locetta, “the latest report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (CAAC) does not bring us closer to that goal.” She stated that the document presents “a distorted view of harm to civilians under the law of war,” arguing that “the deliberate killing of children by the Houthis or other malicious armed groups constitutes a grave violation; the accidental killing of civilians by a state’s armed forces does not.”
For the US representative, this report again illustrates “how the UN devotes time and resources to initiatives incompatible 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 and 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 priority for the United States. 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 these goals,” she said.
Call for international action
Beyond the DRC, the US also mentioned the situations in Sudan, Ukraine, and Haiti, urging all parties to conflicts to better protect children from violence, forced displacement, and grave violations of their rights. For Washington, child protection remains a key issue for promoting long-term peace and stability in conflict-affected regions.
The effects of the conflict on children in the DRC are mainly seen through six grave violations: recruitment and use of children, killing and maiming, rape and other forms of sexual violence committed against them, attacks on schools and hospitals and associated protected persons, abduction of children, and denial of humanitarian access.
While the situation was already alarming, it has further deteriorated with the resurgence of the AFC/M23 rebellion, supported by Rwanda, which currently occupies large portions of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, despite diplomatic initiatives led by the United States, Qatar, and the African Union.
