UK’s Approach to the Protection of Children in Conflict Zone: A Legal Analysis of International Human Rights

Abstract

This article examines the United Kingdom’s approach to the protection of children in conflict zones through the framework of international human rights law (IHRL). While the protection of children affected by armed conflict has traditionally been addressed within international humanitarian law, this analysis emphasizes the concurrent and complementary application of IHRL, which imposes binding obligations on the UK in both domestic and extraterritorial contexts. The article evaluates the UK’s compliance with its obligations under key international instruments, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and the European Convention on Human Rights. The analysis focuses on the principle of the best interests of the child as a cornerstone of international human rights law and assesses its application within the UK’s counter-terrorism, nationality, and foreign policy frameworks. Particular attention is given to the UK’s response to children affected by the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, including issues surrounding repatriation, deprivation of citizenship, and access to protection and rehabilitation. The article explores the extraterritorial reach of international human rights obligations, drawing on relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights to evaluate whether the UK exercises jurisdiction over children located in foreign conflict zones. It argues that, despite the UK’s formal commitment to international child protection norms, its practice reflects a security-driven approach that risks undermining children’s fundamental rights. The article concludes that greater alignment with international human rights law is required to ensure that children affected by armed conflict are treated primarily as rights-holders and victims, rather than as objects of security policy.

Keywords: Children, Rehabilitation, Protection Human Rights, Fundamental Rights, Conflict Zone, War, UDHR, CRC, OPAC