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Vanessa Frazier briefs Security Council, urges donor support for Syria’s children
Summary
In a Security Council briefing, Vanessa Frazier described meetings in Syria and Lebanon, urged donor funding for explosive ordnance clearance and risk education, called for steps to prevent child recruitment and for member states to expedite repatriation of children; she reported that more than 150 detainees who turned 18 were transferred to Iraq between January and February 2026, exact additional numbers not specified.
Vanessa Frazier told the Security Council that her February visits to Syria and Lebanon underscored both new political momentum and persistent threats to children after more than a decade of war. "It was a very inspiring mission," she said, describing Syrian authorities as "very engaged and committed to the protection of children."
Frazier said government interlocutors signaled openness to cooperate with the United Nations and to respect international obligations, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child. She reported that protective frameworks such as codes of conduct and vetting procedures were said to be in place to prevent underage recruitment by newly integrated government forces.
Highlighting the continued humanitarian and security challenges, Frazier drew attention to conditions in northeastern Syria, including the closure of Hawl camp and deteriorating situations in Roj and other sites. She said many children in these settings lack birth registration and identity documents, which can compound vulnerabilities and risk statelessness; she called education and basic services essential to successful return and reintegration.
On detention and repatriation, Frazier urged states to take action. "I am seizing the opportunity of this briefing to urge all member states concerned to facilitate and expedite the voluntary repatriation of their children with suspected family ties to Daesh," she said. She reported that "over 150 children" who turned 18 while in detention were transferred to Iraq among adult detainees between January and February 2026 and noted that the briefing did not provide a more precise total beyond that figure.
Frazier also emphasized explosive remnants of war as a major, ongoing hazard for children and communities, saying contamination prevents returns and keeps children from accessing schools and health services. She appealed to donors for funding, saying, "We can make a positive, concrete, and long-lasting impact" by supporting explosive ordnance clearance and risk-education programs.
Presenting recent trends, Frazier said grave violations against children in Syria remained elevated in 2025, with the killing and maiming of children increasing compared with 2024; recruitment and use of children were the second most verified violation, she said, though showing a slight decrease from the previous year.
She recalled Security Council Resolution 1539 and later resolutions that call on parties listed in the Secretary-General's annexes to prepare and implement action plans to end recruitment and other grave violations. Frazier said that work had begun in Damascus on such a plan with the Syrian government, that the 2019 action plan signed between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the United Nations remains under implementation, and that a 2024 action plan signed with the opposition Syrian National Army can serve as a basis for further measures.
Frazier closed by urging united action from member states and donors to support child protection, civil-registration efforts and clearance of explosive remnants to enable safe returns and long-term reintegration for children in Syria.
The presiding officer thanked Ms. Frazier for her briefing.
