Central African Republic (CAR)

Grave violations against children are being perpetrated by all parties to the various conflicts in the CAR, including rape and armed recruitment into the fighting forces, according to a UN report released Feb. 10. Non-State armed groups and bandits are also kidnapping children as a means of recruitment and to threaten and extort ransom from the population, while abuses against youngsters generally are committed in a climate of impunity, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes in his latest report to the Security Council on children and armed conflict in CAR. (UN News Service)