Us condemns violence against millions of children in dr Congo at un security council

Washington renewed its call for stronger protection of children trapped in armed conflicts, spotlighting the dire situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The statement came during the 10,182nd session of the United Nations Security Council, dedicated to children and armed conflict worldwide.

Speaking on behalf of the United States government, Ambassador Jennifer Locetta, alternate representative for special political affairs at the U.S. Mission to the UN, stressed that children continue to bear the heaviest cost of wars raging across several regions.

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

The DRC among top concerns

During her address, Jennifer Locetta listed the Democratic Republic of Congo among countries where violations of children’s rights remain especially severe. The U.S. condemned these abuses, stating that Congolese children continue to be the primary victims of ongoing clashes among armed groups in the eastern part of the country.

“In conflict zones worldwide, children face numerous threats. In Sudan, cases of children driven from their homes, separated from families, and subjected to sexual violence have been reported. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, millions of children endure 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 affirmed in her speech on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

Children as primary victims of conflict

The U.S. ambassador emphasized that children are not merely collateral victims of wars; they are often deliberately targeted. According to her, conflicts also undermine their access to safe, quality education, fueling a vicious cycle of poverty, instability, and violence passed down through generations.

“Too often, conflicts deprive children of reliable, safe education, cutting off their pathways to the future and jeopardizing their prospects. As everyone knows, this results in a cycle of poverty and instability that spans generations, fueling further conflict 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 safeguard our collective future and help end enduring conflicts,” she noted in her address.

Criticism of the UN report

The American diplomat also criticized the latest report of the UN Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), arguing it does not help strengthen child protection 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 this goal.” She claimed the document presents “a flawed view of civilian harm under the law 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 U.S. representative, this report once 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 United States’ 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 U.S. armed forces with those of Houthi terrorists. Child protection remains a priority for the United States. We continue to call for concrete measures to prevent children from being involved in armed conflict. Publishing politicized and inaccurate reports will not achieve these goals,” she declared.

A call for international action

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

The effects of the conflict on children in the Democratic Republic of Congo 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, hospitals and associated protected persons, abduction of children, and denial of humanitarian access.

While the situation was already concerning, it has further deteriorated with the resurgence of the AFC/M23 rebellion, backed by Rwanda, which currently occupies large swaths of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, despite diplomatic initiatives led by the United States, Qatar, and the African Union.