A/67/256
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
6 August 2012
Original: English
2
Sixty-seventh session
Item 66 (a) of the provisional agenda*
Promotion and protection of the rights of children:
promotion and protection of the rights of children
Report of the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
Summary
The present report is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution
66/141, in which the Assembly requested the Special Representative of the
Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict to submit a report on the
activities undertaken in the fulfilment of her mandate, including information on her
field visits and on the progress achieved and the challenges remaining on the
children and armed conflict agenda.
Covering the period from August 2011 to August 2012, the present report
provides an overview of progress on the children and armed conflict agenda,
followed by an account of new developments. Section II details progress made over
the past year, including in efforts to combat impunity and to end the recruitment and
use of children; the identification of good practices in the monitoring and reporting
of grave violations against children; steps taken towards universal ratification of the
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of
children in armed conflict; the mainstreaming of child protection within the United
Nations system; collaboration with child protection partners; and awareness-raising.
Section III highlights emerging issues of concern and opportunities for ensuring the
protection of conflict-affected children, focusing on three themes: the prevention of
recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups; the development of
further cooperation with regional organizations on the children and armed conflict
agenda; and the challenge posed by explosive weapons, in addition to possible
avenues for tackling that challenge. The report concludes with a set of actionable
recommendations on the protection of children affected by conflict for the attention
of the General Assembly.
* A/67/150.
12-45308 (E) 300812
*1245308*