A/66/256
Representative encourages key Secretariat bodies, including the Department of
Political Affairs, OHCHR and the Peacebuilding Support Office to follow the
example of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
67. The Department of Peacekeeping Operations-Department of Field Support
child protection policy directive, established in 2009 and outlined in the previous
report of the Special Representative (A/65/219) , has guided child protection
activities in peacekeeping operations and contributed to the collection of accurate,
objective, reliable and verifiable information on grave violations against children.
The policy directive defines the roles and responsibilities of child protection
personnel in peacekeeping operations and provides a clear framework for the
division of labour and complementarity between peacekeeping operations and
United Nations agencies, funds and programmes. It is expected that the policy
directive will be reviewed and updated during the next reporting cycle. This review
may constitute an opportunity to consider the development of joint child protection
guidance by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the Department of Field
Support and the Department of Political Affairs, applicable to all United Nations
field missions. Mainstreaming child protection in special political missions and
peacebuilding offices managed by the Department of Political Affairs is critical, as
they are called to play an increasing child protection role in post-conflict
environments and during the complex transition from peacekeeping to
peacebuilding.
68. Since the adoption of the child protection policy, the Department of
Peacekeeping Operations has developed a policy implementation plan to facilitate
sustained and systematic implementation of the child protection mandate in the field
and at Headquarters. Among the key priorities identified in the plan is the
strengthening of training activities for peacekeeping personnel. In this regard, the
Department is partnering with the Office of the Special Representative, UNICEF
and Save the Children to strengthen and develop predeployment and in-mission
training programmes and material.
69. The support of the General Assembly for the deployment and role of child
protection advisers has been significant, including through resolution 62/141 on the
rights of the child and the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. Child
protection advisers have been appointed in seven field missions. In this regard, it is
notable that most mandates for United Nations peacekeeping and political missions
now include a child protection dimension. The commitment to protect children has
increasingly been reflected in the child protection staffing and resources approved
by the General Assembly for United Nations field operations, through the work of
the Fifth Committee, with the advice of the Advisory Committee on Administrative
and Budgetary Questions and support of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping
Operations. The Special Representative appreciates the critical support provided by
the General Assembly to the mainstreaming of child protection in United Nations
activities and urges continued support for the same.
B.
Partnerships on child protection in the United Nations system
70. As chair of the Headquarters Task Force on Children and Armed Conflict, the
Special Representative convenes 16 departments, agencies, funds and programmes
in order to consult on child protection issues of concern and the preparation of the
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