A/HRC/25/46 I. Introduction 1. The present report, which covers the period from May 2012 to December 2013, is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 67/152, in which the Assembly requested the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict to submit a report to the Human Rights Council on the activities undertaken in fulfilment of her mandate, including information on her field visits, and on challenges in the children and armed conflict agenda. 2. On 10 September 2013, the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict gave a briefing1 to the Human Rights Council at the opening of its twenty-fourth session. This update provided an overview of the most salient activities undertaken by the Special Representative, and of the progress achieved during the period from June 2012 to July 2013. 3. In order to align the annual reporting cycle with the voluntary calendar of thematic resolutions of the Council, the annual report of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict will, as of 2014, be submitted to the Council at its March session. II. Progress and challenges in addressing grave violations against children in armed conflict 4. Since the previous report of the Special Representative, progress has been made towards the protection of children in armed conflict. 5. With respect to new commitments made by parties to the conflict in Somalia, that country’s Government signed, on 3 July and 6 August 2012, two action plans to end the recruitment and use, as well as the killing and maiming, of children by the Somali National Security Forces, in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions. Through the action plans, the Government committed to set out disciplinary measures and ensure accountability for violations perpetrated by the Somali National Security Forces. Despite these commitments, violations by all parties to the conflict in Somalia continue to be reported, and little progress has been made in holding perpetrators accountable. 6. On 4 October 2012, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed an action plan to end the recruitment and use of children as well as sexual violence by national security forces. Since then, significant progress has been achieved, with hundreds of children being released and reunited with their families. A joint technical working group has been established and is being co-chaired by the Government and the United Nations, to oversee and support the implementation of the action plans. Directives and military orders have been issued to national security forces prohibiting violations against children and establishing clear sanctions, and wide dissemination of these is ongoing. However, as a result of the renewed hostilities in the eastern provinces between M23 and government forces during the reporting period, and the ongoing activity of other armed groups, violations against children remain a serious concern, with hundreds of children still being associated with armed groups and at risk of grave violations. Girls continue to be especially vulnerable, as they are often used as sex slaves while in the ranks of armed groups and subsequently face stigmatization and additional violence on returning to their communities. 1 Conference room paper entitled “Oral update of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict”. 3