Red Hand Day Highlights the Need to Protect Children from Recruitment and Use in Conflict
Maputo, 12th February 2026 – On this year’s International Day Against the Recruitment and Use of Children in Armed Conflict (“Red Hand Day”), we express deep concern over reports of abductions and the recruitment and use of children by non-state armed groups in northern Mozambique. Recent incidents involving grave violations against children, including abduction, recruitment, and use of children, underscore the need to further strengthen prevention, protection, and accountability measures. These cases include the reported abduction on 5th February of two girls, aged 12 and 13, and a 14-year-old boy, in Mocimboa da Praia District, Cabo Delgado province.
On 12 February 2002, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC) entered into force, prohibiting the recruitment and use of children under the age of 18. Each year, Red Hand Day serves as a moment for renewed collective commitment to prevent these violations, secure the release of children from armed forces and armed groups, and ensure their protection, recovery, and reintegration into families and communities.
The 2025 UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) reported a 525 percent increase in verified grave violations against children in Mozambique. Such violations expose children to severe physical, psychological, and emotional harm and risk perpetuating cycles of violence. Mozambique’s history shows the long-term consequences of children being recruited and used by armed groups, reinforcing the importance of sustained action to break this cycle.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of abductions and the recruitment and use of children by non-state armed groups in northern Mozambique which constitute grave violations of children’s rights,” said Dr. Shelly Whitman, Executive Director of The Dallaire Institute. “At the same time, we recognize the important efforts already undertaken by the Government of Mozambique, including investments in training defence and security forces on the protection of children in conflict settings. Building on this progress, continued practical measures are essential to ensure children are consistently identified, protected, and supported.”
Abduction and the recruitment and use of children have far-reaching consequences for families and communities and also place significant challenges on security and defence actors who encounter children associated with armed groups. The Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers provide an important framework to guide training, operational practice, and decision-making by security actors, including the establishment of clear and effective handover protocols.
These principles are reinforced by the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups, which emphasize that children associated with armed actors should be treated primarily as victims and supported through child-centered release and reintegration processes, and by the Safe Schools Declaration, which promotes the protection of education during armed conflict and discourages the military use of schools. Together, these frameworks complement and strengthen Mozambique’s commitments under international norms and legal instruments such as OPAC, providing coherent guidance for prevention, protection, and reintegration in practice.
“The Government of Mozambique has taken important steps to strengthen the protection of children affected by conflict, including through training of security forces,” said Mary Louise Eagleton, UNICEF Representative in Mozambique. “Finalizing and consistently applying a protocol for the timely handover of children associated with armed groups to civil authorities will be a critical next step to ensure that children encountered in conflict situations are treated first and foremost as victims, protected from further harm, and supported to recover and return to their families and communities.”
"Protecting children in armed conflict is a long-standing priority for Canada. The alarming reports of continued abductions and the recruitment and use of children in northern Mozambique highlight the urgent need for sustained and coordinated action. Canada, alongside our trusted partners UNICEF, the Dallaire Institute and Save the Children, is supporting the Government of Mozambique and local communities in efforts to prevent these violations, protect affected children, and reinforce accountability," said H.E. Anderson Blanc, High Commissioner of Canada to Mozambique and CAAC Group of Friends co-chair. "As we commemorate Red Hand Day, we reaffirm our commitment to support the Government of Mozambique in their efforts to ensure every child’s right to a safe and secure childhood.”
H.E. Egil Thorsås, the Norwegian Ambassador to Mozambique, added that “Every child has the right to learn in safety. Norway is committed to supporting Mozambique in the CAAC agenda, including the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, to help ensure that schools remain safe spaces for all children.”
On this Red Hand Day, we reaffirm our commitment to continued collaboration with the Government of Mozambique and other stakeholders to:
Build on existing efforts to implement key normative frameworks, including the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, the Paris Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups, and the Safe Schools Declaration;
Strengthen community-based prevention initiatives that address intersecting vulnerabilities including displacement and barriers to education, while reinforcing early warning mechanisms to mitigate the risk of grave violations against children;
Continue equipping security and defence actors with the skills and guidance needed to prevent and respond to the recruitment and use of children;
Finalise and operationalise clear handover protocols to ensure the timely and consistent transfer of children associated with armed forces and groups to civilian authorities, so they can be protected, access appropriate services, and be supported in reunification with their families and communities .
Together, we will continue to work in support of national authorities and alongside local partners and communities to prevent grave violations against children and to ensure that child protection remains central to peace and security efforts in Mozambique.
Media contacts:
Madeline Zutt, Policy and Advocacy Manager, The Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace, and Security – madeline@dallaireinstitute.org
Guy Taylor, Chief, Advocacy, Communication and Partnerships, UNICEF Mozambique – gutaylor@unicef.org, phone/WhatsApp: +258 851839954