JUBA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations has called on all warring parties to the South Sudan conflict to release all children from their ranks and work closely with the world body to prevent future recruitment and use of child soldiers.
Virginia Gamba, the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, also said she was encouraged by the release of 210 children, including three girls, from parties to conflict in South Sudan on Friday by the rebels,
"This release is the result of sustained advocacy by the United Nations and the international community," Gamba said in a statement on Saturday.
She said the release of the 210 children on Friday brings the total of released children to more than 800 in the country since the beginning of the year.
"I call on all parties in South Sudan to release all children from their ranks and to work closely with the UN to commit to and implement Action Plans to end and prevent the recruitment and use of child soldiers," Gamba said.
The boys and girls were released from the ranks of the pro-Taban Deng Sudan People's Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and the National Salvation Front (NSF) and their release was formalized on Friday in Pibor, eastern South Sudan.
"These boys and girls are finally allowed to be children again; but their release is just the first step of a long reintegration process. These children deserve support for their recovery; I call on the international community to provide the necessary resources to sustainable reintegration efforts," Gamba said.
More than 300 children were released in February and more than 200 in April, and additional releases are expected to take place this year.
UNICEF said the freed children will be reunited with their families and provided with three months' worth of food assistance and provided with vocational training aimed at improving household income and food security to support their initial reintegration.
