Ending the six grave violations against children in conflict

The Office of the Special Representative has advocated concertedly ending impunity particularly for six categories of crimes against children in situations of armed conflict which have been classified as war crimes:

• Killing or maiming of children;
• Recruitment or use of children as soldiers;
• Attacks against schools or hospitals;
• Denial of humanitarian access for children;
• Abduction of children;
• Rape and other grave sexual abuse of 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. As such, the resolution represents a critical element of the collective efforts of the international community to secure the “era of application” of international protection standards for children.

Addressing these violations has represented a specific focus of the advocacy and dialogue with parties to conflict, and the primary themes around which the Special Representative has organized her visits to situations of concern.