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SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2016, para. 25
- Paragraph text
- Attacks against schools, teachers and students during armed conflicts are particularly worrying as they interfere with education precisely when it can be of most benefit, not only to teach essential life skills but also to promote respect, tolerance and understanding, all of which are vital for social reconstruction and cohesion. Affected populations often view education as essential to both their short- and long-term well-being, as it helps mitigate the psychological and social impacts of conflict by creating a sense of normality, stability, structure and hope and, therefore, to overcome a crisis. All parties to a conflict have a responsibility to ensure safe access to education. It is essential that there be continuous engagement with non-State armed groups on the protection of education to remind their leadership of their obligations to avoid interfering with education, whether directly or indirectly.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2016, para. 10
- Paragraph text
- All incidents must be investigated promptly and effectively, as ending impunity for attacks on health care is the best way to prevent their recurrence. Member States should investigate incidents, in a timely and transparent manner, and punish those responsible. Putting remedial measures in place is also a necessary element of accountability. When attacks have taken place, Governments should ensure that they mitigate the impact by repairing damage, clearing military hazards, providing emergency medical care and establishing safe routes and alternative medical facilities.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2010, para. 76
- Paragraph text
- In the context of the global campaign for education in emergencies and in light of trends related to attacks in conflict situations against educational facilities, teachers and students, Member States, United Nations entities and civil society organizations are encouraged to take all measures necessary to promote and enforce the concept of schools as zones of peace. This should extend to the development of curricula with an emphasis on peace education and fostering cultures of tolerance.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Equality & Inclusion
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2015, para. 33
- Paragraph text
- Accountability for those who attack schools and hospitals is a key aspect of prevention. The Special Representative reiterates her call upon Member States to promote the guidance note, institute changes in national policies and legislation as well as in military doctrine, manuals and training, and investigate and prosecute those who deliberately target schools and hospitals. The Security Council expressed deep concern about the military use of schools and hospitals as it compromises their civilian status, puts them at risk of attacks as lawful military targets, and has a disruptive effect on educational and medical activities. The Special Representative invites the Human Rights Council and other human rights bodies to use all available means to draw attention to the issue, including the universal periodic review, country situations and thematic reports. Lastly, the Special Representative welcomes the release on 16 December 2014 of the "Guidelines for Protecting Schools and Universities from Military Use during Armed Conflict", by the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack, and encourages Member States to adopt them.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 67
- Paragraph text
- It is estimated that some 900 million small arms and light weapons are in circulation worldwide: one for every seven persons. Around 75 per cent of the world's guns are in the hands of civilians.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2011, para. 56
- Paragraph text
- The international community should also support reparations mechanisms in countries emerging from armed conflict. Reparations are a way of providing social justice in post-conflict societies, and are an effective additional accountability mechanism. This is particularly the case in areas where access to justice and redress through the courts is difficult or not possible because of a weak judicial system or a lack of confidence in the judiciary, where the identity of perpetrators are unknown, or where, for political reasons, perpetrators of human rights abuses are exempted from judicial accountability processes.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2016, para. 5
- Paragraph text
- The General Assembly has recognized that attacks upon medical and health personnel result in the loss of life and human suffering, weaken the ability of health systems to deliver essential life-saving services and produce setbacks for health development. Numerous attacks on medical facilities, including aerial bombardment, have heightened concerns about the protection of health care in conflict in recent months. However, hospitals, doctors, nurses, ambulances and patients have long suffered from acts that challenge the most basic principles of international humanitarian law.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 111
- Paragraph text
- As in conflict and post-conflict situations, disarmament and demobilization programmes can be used in communities affected by armed violence to reduce the number of guns in circulation. In such initiatives, guns are surrendered in return for collective or individual rewards, such as building materials, vouchers for groceries and support for development projects. Those efforts are particularly successful when there is a high degree of public awareness, transparency and community involvement.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2010, para. 14
- Paragraph text
- Another positive development is the recent creation of the interdisciplinary Global Coalition for Protecting Education from Attack, comprising United Nations organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and researchers. The Coalition will focus on the prevention of attacks on education, effective response, enhanced monitoring and reporting, increased accountability and development of stronger international norms.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Education
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2010, para. 73
- Paragraph text
- To address the scourge of sexual violence in conflict, Member States are strongly encouraged to prepare and implement, with the support of the United Nations, comprehensive national strategies on sexual violence that address accountability of perpetrators and programmatic response and services for survivors. Donors are urged to ensure that adequate funding is allocated to such initiatives.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2011, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- Sound data and research are urgently needed in this field. Without reliable data, national planning is undermined, effective policymaking and resource mobilization are hampered, and targeted interventions are limited in their ability to address and prevent violence in schools.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2012, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- Two other major gaps are identified by the responses: lack of resources; and lack of clear definitions and monitoring tools and indicators. These factors hamper the collection of timely, reliable and disaggregated data, the monitoring of progress, and the evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and impact of interventions.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2010, para. 35
- Paragraph text
- First and foremost, this requires commitment to action at the national level, through local legal and judicial infrastructure and on the basis of national legislation. In addition, such action should extend equally to Government functionaries or high-ranking members of armed forces where evidence of violations exists.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2010
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2012, para. 22
- Paragraph text
- There is limited evidence concerning the extent, impact and risks of violence, and the underlying social norms and attitudes that perpetuate its existence. Too often, data collected are not analysed, disseminated or used to shape policy and implement action, and insights into what works in the areas of prevention and response fail to be taken into consideration when decisions are being taken and resource allocations considered.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2012
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2016, para. 8
- Paragraph text
- Governments bear the primary responsibility for protecting civilians, and all parties to conflict must refrain from attacking civilian objects. Governments should adopt clear legislation and issue orders to their security forces to protect hospitals, doctors and patients. It is equally important that parties to conflict emphasize that hospitals are neutral civilian spaces and that medical personnel should be free to treat all wounded persons in line with medical ethics and without fear of repercussions.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2013, para. 78
- Paragraph text
- A scarcity of resources and a lack of clear definitions, monitoring tools and indicators remain additional challenges. These factors hamper the collection of timely, reliable and disaggregated data, the monitoring of progress and the evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and impact of interventions. Investment in this area remains vital to support effective action.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2011, para. 55
- Paragraph text
- It must be emphasized that international efforts alone cannot achieve durable results in the fight against impunity. Sustained accountability for crimes committed can only be reached through the ownership of the people and justice system of the nation concerned, in conformity with international standards. In societies emerging from conflict, where State institutions and the social fabric have been weakened by war, the international community has an important role to play in supporting national efforts to strengthen the justice sector and the rule of law more broadly. Developing the capacity of societies to deal with violations through an effective justice system is the only way to ensure that justice will be sustainable.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
SRSG on violence against children: Annual report 2015, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- Data and research are needed to capture the manifestations and incidence of armed violence, to monitor progress and the impact of interventions and to document initiatives that actually work.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General on violence against children
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2015
Paragraph
SRSG on children and armed conflict: Annual report 2014, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- The Special Representative welcomes alternative strategies, such as mobile courts, to support access to justice in remote areas, to tackle impunity and to provide redress for victims of grave violations in the aftermath of conflict. Mobile courts have been used effectively in several countries such as the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste.
- Body
- Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict
- Document type
- SRSG report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2014
Paragraph
The right to freedom of opinion and expression exercised through the Internet 2011, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- When a cyber-attack can be attributed to the State, it clearly constitutes, inter alia, a violation of its obligation to respect the right to freedom of opinion and expression. Although determining the origin of cyber-attacks and the identity of the perpetrator is often technically difficult, it should be noted that States have an obligation to protect individuals against interference by third parties that undermines the enjoyment of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. This positive obligation to protect entails that States must take appropriate and effective measures to investigate actions taken by third parties, hold the persons responsible to account, and adopt measures to prevent such recurrence in the future.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2011
Paragraph
The right to access information 2013, para. 66a
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur wishes to highlight the importance of the references made to the disclosure of information on violations of human rights and humanitarian law, stipulated in section A of principle 10 of the Tshwane Principles, namely:] There is an overriding public interest in disclosure of information regarding gross violations of human rights or serious violations of international humanitarian law, including crimes under international law, and systematic or widespread violations of the rights to personal liberty and security. Such information may not be withheld on national security grounds in any circumstances;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right to access information 2013, para. 66b
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur wishes to highlight the importance of the references made to the disclosure of information on violations of human rights and humanitarian law, stipulated in section A of principle 10 of the Tshwane Principles, namely:] Information regarding other violations of human rights or humanitarian law is subject to a high presumption of disclosure, and in any event may not be withheld on national security grounds in a manner that would prevent accountability for the violations or deprive a victim of access to an effective remedy;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The right to access information 2013, para. 66c
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur wishes to highlight the importance of the references made to the disclosure of information on violations of human rights and humanitarian law, stipulated in section A of principle 10 of the Tshwane Principles, namely:] When a State is undergoing a process of transitional justice, during which the State is especially required to ensure truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, there is an overriding public interest in disclosure to society as a whole of information regarding human rights violations committed under the past regime. A successor government should immediately protect and preserve the integrity of, and release without delay, any records that contain such information that were concealed by a prior government.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
The implications of States’ surveillance of communications on the exercise of the human rights to privacy and to freedom of opinion and expression 2013, para. 82
- Paragraph text
- Individuals should have a legal right to be notified that they have been subjected to communications surveillance or that their communications data has been accessed by the State. Recognizing that advance or concurrent notification might jeopardize the effectiveness of the surveillance, individuals should nevertheless be notified once surveillance has been completed and have the possibility to seek redress in respect of the use of communications surveillance measures in their aftermath.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Fundamentalism and its impact on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association 2016, para. 15
- Paragraph text
- In other cases, violations may arise due to the inability or unwillingness of the State to respond to the actions of non-State actors. The State's failure to protect participants in a peaceful rally against violent, fundamentalist counter-protesters, for example, constitutes a violation of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. It does not matter if the State does not officially promote the counter-protesters' ideology; it has a positive duty to protect those exercising their right to peaceful assembly, even if they are promoting unpopular positions. Similarly, States may violate their duty to protect by failing to investigate allegations of rights violations and to hold the perpetrators accountable, by ignoring retaliation against victims of violations and by failing to ensure the protection of rights for certain groups.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2016
Paragraph
Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 3
- Paragraph text
- Armed conflict is divided into international armed conflict - where there is "resort to armed force between States", and non-international armed conflict - where there is "protracted violence" involving at least one non-State organized armed group. In both situations, international humanitarian law prescribes rules of conduct for States and non-State organized armed groups that are parties to the conflict. These govern circumstances such as the conduct of hostilities, treatment of prisoners, guarantees of fundamental rights such as access to justice and treatment of civilians and civilian property.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 9
- Paragraph text
- States are obliged to utilize the maximum available resources towards the realization of economic social and cultural rights, including the right to health. An aspect of this obligation is that the right to health is progressively realizable. However, due to the destruction or diversion of resources to military or police needs, conflicts often reduce the availability of resources which may, at times, be detrimental to the right to health. Even where resources are available, States may not be able to make use of them due to the insecurity and poor infrastructure in many conflict environments.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 16
- Paragraph text
- The obligation to fulfil the right to health by facilitating, providing and promoting conditions conducive to its enjoyment may also be difficult in conflict due to resource constraints or security reasons. States should, however, make available essential and minimum levels of health facilities, goods and services. For instance, States may be obliged to fulfil the right to health by making available ambulances during protests or riots. States may also fulfil the right to health by entering into ceasefire agreements with non-State armed groups to ensure delivery of health services such as immunization and vaccination programmes. States could provide information about traditional medicine and support its use by communities who may be unable to access institutional care due to conflict. In the absence of their own capacity, States should request assistance from other States, civil society and humanitarian organizations, especially to fulfil their core obligations. States should not obstruct humanitarian organizations and practitioners of traditional and community-based medicine from providing health-care services.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 61
- Paragraph text
- Accountability is an essential aspect of the right to health framework. It requires independent monitoring, prompt investigations, transparent governance, including collecting and disseminating accurate and complete information to the public, and access to remedies for victims of violations. These requirements are also addressed under international humanitarian law, which obliges States to prevent, investigate and punish violations of international humanitarian law. Clear policies and codes of conduct should be in place within the military, police force, and medical institutions to protect the right to health in conflict.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph
Right to health in conflict situations 2013, para. 62
- Paragraph text
- Violations of the right to health in conflict, including attacks on, and interference with, the delivery of health care, are often not fully captured in current monitoring systems. Monitoring of such violations in conflict and post-conflict situations is often poor or incomplete, due to insecurity and lack of systematic data collection and dissemination by States and international organizations. Monitoring mechanisms may focus excessively on high-profile issues such as attacks on international aid workers rather than more common violations such as threats against local workers or damage to underlying determinants. The practice of retaliating against whistleblowers may also mean that health-care workers and affected populations, who are in the best position to report violations of the right to health, may be reluctant to do so for fear of being unable to provide or access medical care.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Health
- Humanitarian
- Person(s) affected
- All
- N.A.
- Year
- 2013
Paragraph