An international meeting on the situation of children in conflict zones was held, organized by the NGO Altamirano, bringing together academics and child protection experts.
During the event, the following issues were thoroughly analyzed:
- Child protection laws in Spain and Morocco,
- The situation of minors in Ibero-America,
- Children’s rights from a humanist perspective,
- The current situation of children, especially girls, in the Sahel region,
- And the use of children in warfare in the Tindouf camps (Algeria).
The meeting was moderated by Pedro Ignacio Altamirano, president of the organizing NGO.
Key Interventions
- Francisco Granados, a lawyer from the Málaga Bar Association, detailed the most relevant Spanish laws on child protection and the serious, repeated violations of these laws, particularly in housing evictions involving minors. He also proposed filing a complaint before the National Court in Madrid regarding the situation of children in the Tindouf camps, and recommended placing children arriving in Spain through the “Vacaciones en Paz” program under temporary custody of social services until a ruling is made, due to violations of the International Charter of the Rights of the Child.
- Hamid Aboulas, professor at the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences in Tetouan (Morocco), clearly explained Morocco’s child protection laws and the country’s significant legislative progress, aiming to align with the most developed nations. He also agreed to help organize a legal academic meeting on Morocco’s constitutional reforms since 2011, promoted by King Mohammed VI.
- Mexican sociologist Pedro Díaz de la Vega gave a powerful account of the plight of children in Ibero-America, particularly during migration toward the United States. He denounced how children are used as slaves and girls as sexual slaves, and highlighted the threat of organized crime and human trafficking. Due to the severity of the situation, an international meeting to explore this issue in greater depth was agreed upon.
- El Kodadi Mohammed, general coordinator of the Humanist Embassy, emphasized the devastating impact on child development when minors are used in militias or subjected to sexual slavery. He described the long-term post-traumatic consequences as often irreversible. He proposed the creation of a permanent observatory to monitor the situation of children in the Tindouf camps, a proposal that was well received.
- Daniel Lucas, from the French-based NGO Aide au Développement au Sahel (ADS), spoke about the dire situation in the Sahel region, where nearly three million people are fleeing violence. He highlighted the especially critical condition of girls, many of whom are forced into early marriage as a form of basic protection.
- Abdelouahab Gain, president of Africa Watch, was the final speaker. He presented a clear and compelling account of the current situation of children in the Tindouf camps, denouncing the Algerian government’s failureto fulfill its international obligation to protect children under its jurisdiction. He called for continued reporting and condemnation of the situation at both social and international levels.
Key Agreements Reached
- A complaint will be filed before the Spanish National Court over the use of children for military purposes in the Tindouf camps and their deployment to Spain as propaganda tools through the “Vacaciones en Paz” program.
- Agreement to analyze the situation of children in Ibero-America in greater depth through a dedicated meeting.
- Agreement to study the creation of a permanent observatory to monitor the situation of children in the Tindouf camps.
