A/73/278
I. Introduction
1.
In its resolution 72/245, the General Assembly requested the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (the Special
Representative) 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
72/245, the present report provides information on current trends regarding children
affected by armed conflict and gives an overview of emerging issues and challenges,
including on the cross-border nature of grave violations and the relationship between
preventing violations of children’s rights and the United Nations broader sustaining
peace agenda. It also highlights the ongoing engagement with parties to conflict to
end and prevent grave violations as well as efforts undertaken with a broad range of
actors to raise global awareness and catalyse action on the issue. In the prese nt report,
reference is also made to steps taken by the Special Representative in response to the
request contained in resolution 72/245 that she increase her engagement with States,
United Nations bodies and agencies, regional organizations and, especially,
subregional organizations and increase public awareness activities, including by
collecting, assessing and disseminating best practices and lessons learned, in
accordance with the existing mandate.
II. Taking stock of the children and armed conflict agenda
A.
Overview of trends and challenges
3.
Protracted conflicts, cyclical spikes in violence and cross -border operations by
armed forces and groups continued to render children in situations of armed conflict
vulnerable. Time and again, armed conflict stripped away layers of protection
afforded by families, society and law, and boys and girls became victims as both the
targets and the perpetrators of violence. As a result, widespread grave violat ions
against children were documented in almost all situations relating to the children and
armed conflict agenda.
4.
During the reporting period, there were spikes in violence in a number of
chronically instable areas leading to unspeakable violations aga inst children. For
instance, the attacks of 25 August 2017 against Myanmar police posts by the Arakan
Rohingya Salvation Army in northern Rakhine State triggered an immediate response
from Government forces. The ensuing outbreak of violence led to much kil ling,
maiming and rape and other forms of sexual violence and the displacement of more
than 720,000 persons across the border to Bangladesh. Similarly, in the Kasais, in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, an intensification of operations by armed groups
resulted in a significant increase in the recruitment of children and their use in
hostilities, in attacks against schools and in the number of children killed and injured,
including during the Government’s response to the security threat. A periodic
intensification of conflict was also noted in other country situations on the agenda of
the Special Representative, such as the Central African Republic and Somalia.
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