Children and blast injuries, Save the Children report

That this House welcomes Save the Children’s new report, Children and Blast Injuries: The Devastating Impact of Explosive Weapons on Children 2020-2025; notes with concern that today a record 520 million children, or one in five globally, are growing up in conflict zones and, as the report highlights, explosive weapons are killing children on an unprecedented scale, with governments themselves becoming leading perpetrators; understands that Save the Children’s report finds that children are uniquely vulnerable to blast injuries since they are more likely to die as a result of attacks or to suffer severe physical harm in comparison to adults, a situation compounded by the rise of new weapons technologies such as cluster munitions, as well as the increase of conflicts being conducted in cities, with bombs and drones often striking schools, hospitals and homes; considers the proposals outlined in their report calling on the Government to publish the UK’s first ever cross-departmental Children in Conflict Strategy, implement the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, and to fund victim assistance and research; and thanks Save the Children for putting together a detailed and comprehensive report drawing attention to an issue of significant and growing concern.