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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to commemorate and celebrate the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, established by the United Nations General Assembly on the date when the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the involvement of children in armed conflict, entered into force in 2002.

San Marino ratified this important Convention on 25 July 2011.

This anniversary is particularly important for the Republic of San Marino, which has always been committed to the promotion and protection of children's rights both at the national level and in multilateral fora. The Silvana Arbia Foundation has been active in San Marino for years. It was strongly desired by the magistrate of the same name, who served as Prosecutor and Chief of Prosecutions at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. The Foundation, which includes many San Marino citizens who work to implement the its projects, launches and supports initiatives in the African Great Lakes region, the scene of bloody wars in which millions of people have lost their lives and hundreds of thousands have become refugees or displaced persons.

The use of children in armed conflicts constitutes a phenomenon with dramatic repercussions on children's lives, which violates the set of fundamental human rights granted to them, forcing them to participate in wars, to undergo terrible training, to kill and to commit atrocities that go against every principle of humanity. With a trend that shows no sign of slowing down, the use of child soldiers represents an abhorrent violation of fundamental human rights and one of the most widespread forms of exploitation.

This highly significant day is also intended to be a global call for the adoption of all international and national instruments aimed at prevention and awareness-raising on this issue, focusing on supporting child victims and ensuring that they have an adequate social and family life, providing access to the best education and empowerment systems.

San Marino, 12 February 2024