A/74/249
I. Introduction
1.
In its resolution 73/155, the General Assembly requested the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict to continue
to submit reports to it and the Human Rights Council on the activities undertaken in
the fulfilment of her mandate, including information on her field visits, on progress
achieved and challenges remaining on the children and armed conflict agenda. The
request stemmed from the mandate given by the Assembly in its resolution 51/77, in
which it recommended, inter alia, that the Special Representative raise awareness and
promote the collection of information about the plight of children affected by armed
conflict and foster international cooperation to ensure respect for children ’s rights in
these situations.
2.
In line with that mandate, and as requested by the Assembly in its resolution
73/155, the present report provides information on current trends regarding children
affected by armed conflict and gives an overview of emerging issues and challenges.
It also highlights the ongoing engagement with parties to conflict to end and prevent
grave violations as well as efforts undertaken with State and non -State actors to raise
global awareness and catalyse action on this issue. The present report also makes
reference to steps taken by the Special Representative in response to the request
contained in General Assembly resolution 72/245 to increase her engagement with
States, United Nations bodies and agencies, regional and subregional organizations
and to increase public awareness activities, including by collecting, assessing and
disseminating best practices and lessons learned, in accordance with the existing
mandate.
II. Overview of trends, emerging issues and challenges
3.
As the year 2019 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption of the
Convention of the Rights of the Child and the nineteenth anniversary of the adoption
of its Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, it is
important to remind all States parties of their responsibility to protect and promote
children’s rights and put the best interests of the child at the heart of their national
and international engagement, to assess the status of child rights and take immediate
measures when those rights are at risk. While notable progress has been achieved in
the past three decades in transforming children’s lives around the world, considerable
challenges remain for girls and boys in the context of armed conflict.
4.
Overall, 2018 data from the monitoring and reporting mechanism on children
and armed conflict show persistent high levels of grave violations. While the numbers
of children victims of recruitment and use, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on
schools and hospitals and of denial of humanitarian access stabilized, those were
offset by a dramatic increase in the number of casualties caused by the killing and
maiming of children, resulting in an overall increase in verified grave violations.
5.
Protracted conflicts, the intensification of combat situations, new conflict
dynamics and operational tactics, combined with widespread disregard for
international humanitarian and human rights la w, including inadequate application of
the principles of distinction, proportionality and military necessity, had a devastating
effect on children. Cases of children killed and maimed reached record levels, with
an unprecedented number attributed to State actors. Aerial and ground operations,
especially in urban and populated areas, resulted in complex challenges for the
protection of children. Armed groups continued to be responsible for large numbers
of child casualties as a result of the intensification of clashes, increased military
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