Tens of thousands boys and girls are still recruited today in armed conflicts. They are not only used in combat, but are often also abused by those who recruit them. Many among them, especially girls, fall victim to sexual abuse.

These child soldiers, often not even 10 years old, are extremely vulnerable and fragile. Their rehabilitation and reintegration takes time. Long term reintegration programs are key to provide them with the opportunity to pick up their lives again and to restore sustainable peace in their communities, often devastated by violence. UNICEF reports however that over the past five years, a quarter of the 55.000 boys and girls who were globally disassociated from armed groups, couldn’t participate in such reintegration programs.

The reintegration of child solders is one of the priorities of Belgium’s foreign policy. Our country, who has been confronted with the return of children from jihadists who fought in Syria and Iraq, plays a leading role on this issue and wants to keep it on the international agenda. Belgium is also an important contributor to UNICEF’s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism which collects reliable information on serious violations of children’s rights in situations of conflict.

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Generation Unlimited will address the global education and vocational training crisis that is currently holding back millions of young people and is threatening progress and stability. Alongside UNICEF and other UN organisations, also the private sector, civil society and of course young people themselves will take up the challenge.

Quality education, training and jobs

The global partnership aims to ensure that young people from 10 to 24 all over the world can have a better access to quality education, vocational training and jobs by 2030. The focus will also be put on human rights, gender equality, non-violence and citizenship.

The new Generation Unlimited partnership is part of the new UN Youth Strategy: Youth 2030 launched today by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. This strategy will be guiding all UN organisations to strengthen young people, to stand up for their rights so that they can unleash their full potential.

Working as Champion

UNICEF has appointed five “Champions” to shape Generation Unlimited. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation Alexander De Croo is one of them.

Alexander De Croo: “Every boy and every girl deserves a fair chance to make the most of themselves. This is only possible if we invest in education and vocational training, which is a tremendous challenge. Today already, young people make up a quarter of the world population. In 2030, they will be 2 billion. It might sound cliché but it is true: our future is in the hands of this younger generation. We must ensure that no girl or boy is left behind.”

As “Champion” of Generation Unlimited, Alexander De Croo wants to focus in particular on giving more opportunities to girls. Our country is especially active in this area, including through the She Decides-movement co-launched by Belgium last year to strengthen the sexual and reproductive health and rights of girls and women.

Ending child marriages

Minister De Croo has also decided to contribute 8 million EUR to the Global Programme to Accelerate Action to End Child Marriage. This initiative by the UN children’s rights organisation UNICEF and the UN Population Fund UNFPA wants to reduce the number of child marriages. Worldwide, almost 15 million girls under 18 get married every year. That is 37.000 child marriages a day.

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