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Protect children

The situation in Syria is getting out of control.

The regime’s actions are a gross violation of international law as set out in the Nuremberg principles, principles of international law recognised in the charter of the Nuremberg tribunal and the judgement of the tribunal in 1950.

Nowadays, children are increasingly becoming the direct and indirect victims of armed conflict. The fundamental challenge for any international legal system that wishes to mitigate the suffering of children in war is to ensure their very survival.

The International Humanitarian Law (otherwise known as the law of armed conflict) is the body of international law which governs the conduct of war; sets out parameters of what is legally permissible during 
hostilities and includes the Geneva conventions of 1949 and the additional protocols of 1977. From what we know about 
children’s experience in the Syrian conflict, one must question the efficiency of the legal protection available under humanitarian law.

Protecting innocent civilians is the most important challenge ahead for the United Nations and other international policy makers. More attention to human security above national security will help reduce cycles of conflict and instability.

For how long will we quietly watch such inhuman behaviour? For how long will we be blind and tolerate those monsters who are fighting for their own interests by deaths of others?