China's permanent representative to the United Nations urged warring parties to end hostilities and called for stronger accountability for abuses against children, as a UN report documented record violations in 2025 and aid officials warned that funding cuts were weakening protection services.
Ambassador Fu Cong told a Security Council briefing on Monday that ending conflict and violence was the most direct and effective way to protect children.
"China urges all parties to conflicts to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, cease hostilities, strictly comply with their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law, and refrain from attacking civilians and civilian facilities, such as children and schools," Fu said.
The briefing, a signature event of Greece's October Security Council presidency, marked 30 years since the General Assembly established the children and armed conflict mandate.
The secretary-general's latest annual report on children and armed conflict, which covers the period from August 2025 to July 2026, said the United Nations verified 38,558 grave violations affecting 24,174 children in 2025, the highest figures since the mandate began.
The highest number was recorded in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, with 12,445 violations, followed by Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar and Somalia.
"Killing and maiming of children increased to alarming levels, with surges of 34 percent and 10 percent, respectively," the report said.
In his speech, Fu highlighted threats to children in the occupied Palestinian territory, Haiti and elsewhere, saying that generation after generation have been robbed of a happy childhood.
"China supports the Security Council in resorting to necessary tools to ensure strict accountability for wanton abuses of children," he said.
Fu also said development is the fundamental solution to the root causes of conflict, urging support for governments in providing food, education, healthcare and employment to help children escape war and cycles of violence.
He called for careful use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies to protect education for children in conflict.
Turning to Africa, Fu urged closer UN-African Union cooperation on child protection, while welcoming Jainaba Jagne as the AU's first envoy for children affected by armed conflict.
"We will continue to provide help to the best of our ability to developing countries, including those in Africa," Fu said, calling for joint efforts to "silence the guns and end violence", so that children worldwide can grow up healthy and strong in peace and stability.
Speaking at the briefing, Vanessa Frazier, the secretary-general's special representative for children and armed conflict, said UN monitoring provides "a credible, United Nations-verified picture of grave violations".
She noted that for the first time in the mandate's history, government forces were responsible for most of the verified grave violations.
"This is deeply troubling," she said.
Greek Foreign Minister Georgios Gerapetritis warned that smartphones were being used to recruit and exploit children.
The Council president for October welcomed the unanimous adoption of Council Resolution 2832 last week, which addresses digital technologies' impact on children.
He called for predictable funding for protection work while highlighting the need to "give due consideration to the voices of children and young people in shaping our policies and responses".
United Nations Children's Fund Executive Director Catherine Russell warned that artificial intelligence in weaponry, armed drones and digital technologies presented new dangers.
Recalling her December visit to South Sudan, Russell noted that funding cuts had closed more than one third of UNICEF-supported safe spaces for women and children there during that year.
"On behalf of the millions of children who are trapped in conflicts around the world, we must redouble our efforts to prevent and resolve the wars that are devastating children's lives," she said.
The briefing also heard voices from civil society, with Bethany Ellis, director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict, stressing that impunity was rampant while funding cuts reduced services, including mental health support and reintegration programs.
She urged states to end weapons transfers to parties violating international law.
"We owe them more than words," Ellis said. "We owe them protection, accountability, a childhood without fear and the opportunity to realize their rights in a peaceful future."
