Monitoring and reporting

Monitoring and reporting on children affected by armed conflict addresses itself to six grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict:

1. Killing or maiming of children;
2. Recruitment or use of children as soldiers;
3. Rape and other grave sexual abuse of children.
4. Abduction of children;
5. Attacks against schools or hospitals;
6. Denial of humanitarian access for children;

Security Council resolution 1612 (2005), by which the Council requests the implementation of a mechanism specified by the Secretary-General in his fifth report on children and armed conflict (A/59/695-S/2005/72) to monitor and report on these six grave violations, has broken new ground in terms of the institution of practical measures towards the ending of impunity of violating parties.

The Office of the Special Representative has been tasked with the coordination of the reports from the Secretary-General to the Working Group of the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict, consisting of all its members. It is intended that reports to the Working Group should serve as "triggers for action" by the Council and other relevant policy level actors, resulting in pressure upon parties to conflict to halt violations against children.

The country-specific reports on children and armed conflict emanating from the monitoring and reporting mechanism have provided systematic, timely, accurate and objective information on the six grave violations against children, including the identification of offending parties for examination by the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.

The monitoring and reporting mechanism has been implemented in all the situations listed in the annexes to the Secretary-General's seventh report on children and armed conflict (A/64/742-S/2010/181).

The adoption by the Security Council of resolution 1612 (2005), which serves as a basis for targeted measures against offenders, has proved to have both a preventive and deterrent effect. The strength of the Security Council's proactive process in the context of resolution 1612 (2005), combined with the application of international standards, has considerably enhanced the work carried out by child protection advocates and serves as leverage to bring parties into compliance.

This has been reinforced by the adoption of resolution 1882 (2009), in which the Council calls for enhanced communication and information-sharing between its Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and relevant Security Council sanctions committees as a step towards targeted measures against persistent perpetrators.

Finally, it must be stressed that an effective monitoring, reporting and compliance regime depends largely on the collaboration of a number of critical stakeholders, particularly Member States, United Nations system partners, NGOs and local civil society, in situations of concern. The Special Representative is committed to ensuring that the space and opportunity exist for the full participation of all partners and stakeholders.