Georgia knows from its own experience that the consequences of conflict do not end when hostilities cease, as the effects of Russia’s occupation of two Georgian regions continue to affect children’s lives, with severe restrictions on their fundamental rights remaining part of their daily reality, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Paris Peace Forum, Botchorishvili highlighted the importance of protecting the rights of children affected by conflict, including their right to receive education in their mother tongue.

“The main focus of today’s discussion is children - innocent victims of conflicts who never chose this fate. Their rights must be protected, their dignity respected and their future safeguarded. This means ensuring not only their physical safety but also their psychosocial well-being, so that they can overcome the harm caused by conflict, recover and develop. This responsibility cannot rest solely with individual countries. It is a shared responsibility that belongs to all of us”, she said.

“Georgia knows from its own experience that the consequences of conflict do not end when hostilities cease. The impact of conflict goes beyond destruction and loss of life. It affects generations and leaves lasting scars on people’s lives. This is not merely a chapter in our history. The consequences of Russia’s occupation of two Georgian regions continue to affect children’s lives, with serious restrictions on their fundamental rights remaining an integral part of their daily reality”, Botchorishvili continued.

She further noted that restrictions on children’s right to education in their mother tongue, along with the forced imposition of Russian-language education, violate not only their right to education but also threaten their identity, culture and connection with their country.

“That is why protecting children in conflict situations must be viewed not merely as a humanitarian imperative but as a fundamental matter of human rights, security and sustainable peace”, Botchorishvili said.

The Foreign Minister also stressed the importance of preserving peace.

“Over the past decade, preventing conflict and maintaining peace have been Georgia’s foremost national priorities. This has enabled our country to direct its efforts towards development, improving public welfare and creating a better future for generations to come. Our experience has further strengthened our conviction that peace means much more than the absence of fighting”, she noted.

“Peace creates the conditions for societies to develop by investing in education, healthcare and social services, fostering technological innovation, and ensuring that children and young people have opportunities to succeed and realise their full potential. Our goal is to make these opportunities accessible to every child and young person, regardless of where they live or the circumstances they face”, Botchorishvili continued.

However, she added, for children and young people living in the occupied regions, this remains an unrealised aspiration.

“This once again reminds us of a fundamental truth: the cost of unresolved conflicts cannot be measured solely in terms of territorial divisions or political disagreements. It must also be measured in human suffering, lost opportunities and the future taken away from an entire generation. For Georgia, peace is a choice shaped by both our historical experience and the conflicts and security challenges facing our region. However, maintaining peace requires commitment, strong political will and shared responsibility”, the Foreign Minister said.

“Today, our shared responsibility is to ensure that peace does not remain merely an aspiration but becomes a reality for future generations, in which every child, anywhere in the world, can grow up in a safe environment, enjoy their rights and have the opportunity to build a better future”, Botchorishvili concluded.