Don’t get me wrong, I am wholly supportive of this step, mostly because of the consensus required to enact it:
The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to name and shame countries and insurgents groups engaged in conflicts that lead to children being killed, maimed and raped.
The council resolution will expand a U.N. list that in March identified more than 60 governments and armed groups that recruit child soldiers.
But, first, it’s already pretty clear which countries or groups are responsible for the deaths and rapes of children, isn’t it? Second, naming and shaming alone obviously won’t suffice. Anyone who can kill innocent children is likely lacking in the moral compunction department, so “shame” would seem to be out of their range of emotional responses to this crime.
That said, this is an impressive and positive step for the Security Council to take unanimously. The tougher part, of course, will be following the naming and shaming with concrete and effective action.