Strategic plan of the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict

Objectives

  1. Supporting global initiatives to end grave violations against children affected by armed conflict

    2. As an independent voice and advocate for children affected by armed conflict, the Special Representative will highlight, promote and support global initiatives by the numerous actors and entities that are focused on preventing and ending grave violations against children and bringing perpetrators of abuses to justice. The Special Representative will advocate also for rigorous post-conflict rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives and programmes for children.

    It must be noted that one of the great advances on the children and armed conflict agenda in recent times is the intervention of the United Nations Security Council and the passing of resolution 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005. In the resolution the Council requests a comprehensive monitoring and reporting process which may eventually lead to targeted measures against offending parties. The Council also calls for the creation of a working group of the Council to deal specifically with children and armed conflict. The primary goal of the Office of the Special Representative will be to take the lead, in close consultation with UNICEF, on issues relating to the above-mentioned Security Council process, to further deepen the engagement of the Security Council on the issue of children and armed conflict, and to ensure that the process within the Council ultimately leads to enhanced protection for children on the ground.

    The Office of the Special Representative will also follow closely other critical initiatives, including the proceedings of the International Criminal Court in cases relating to grave violations against children, in particular child recruitment. Where appropriate, the Office of the Special Representative will consult with partners to develop legal interpretations on crimes against humanity involving children, in support of the work of the International Criminal Court.

  2. Promoting rights-based protection for children affected by armed conflict

    3. In addition to taking measures for monitoring and reporting violations and ending impunity, the Office of the Special Representative will promote, in close consultation with OHCHR and UNICEF, the adoption of a rights-based approach to protection issues involving children and armed conflict.

  3. Making children and armed conflict concerns an integral aspect of peacekeeping and peacebuilding

    4. The emphasis of the United Nations on enhancing its capacity and infrastructure for effective peacekeeping and peacebuilding represents a critical system-wide priority. The Office of the Special Representative will work closely with Member States, relevant United Nations partners and the new Peacebuilding Commission to ensure that children’s protection, demobilization and reintegration needs are addressed in the initial planning and implementation of peacekeeping and peacebuilding operations. Emphasis will also be given to the important role of child protection advisers and other child protection mechanisms in peacekeeping operations. The Special Representative will also advocate for the protection and participation of children in transitional justice mechanism and processes in the aftermath of conflict.

  4. Raising awareness with regard to all other issues relating to war-affected children before, during and after conflict

    5. The monitoring, reporting and compliance process that has now been established emphasizes the need to look beyond child soldiering and to recognize five other categories of grave violations against children. The Special Representative will continue to advocate against such violations wherever they occur. It is necessary to recognize, however, that the range of protection issues related to children and armed conflict goes beyond even the six categories of violations being considered in the framework of the Security Council, and includes also such issues as psychosocial recovery, the challenges of reintegration of children formerly associated with armed groups, the problems related to children under siege from HIV/AIDS, the disruption of education, the lack of access to health care and trafficking of children. Therefore, the Special Representative will aim to raise awareness and support further studies on emerging concerns for children, especially such issues as may be raised by United Nations and NGO partners, in support of a more concerted response.

    Strategies

    In pursuit of the objectives outlined above, the Office of the Special Representative will engage, in close consultation with United Nations partners, Member States, NGOs and civil society groups, the following essential strategies:

    • Monitoring and reporting, especially with regard to grave violations;
    • Advocacy, with regard to all aspects of the children and armed conflict agenda;
    • Coordination and mainstreaming, with regard to all aspects of the agenda;
    • Research and study, focusing on lessons learned, best practices and emerging areas of concern.