A/66/256 20. The Special Representative continues to encourage Member States to become party to other relevant treaties, including ILO Convention No. 182 (1999) concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour, which defines child recruitment as one of the worst forms of child labour, as well as the African Charter of the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1999), which prohibits child recruitment and upholds the fundamental rights of children. III. Children and armed conflict: trends and challenges A. 1. The changing nature of conflict Use of children as instruments of violence in conflict 21. Of growing concern is the use of children — sometimes unbeknownst to them — to carry or wear explosives. The reporting period has seen a steady increase in the number of girls and boys being used by armed groups for such purposes. These children, sometimes as young as eight, are often unaware of the actions or consequences of the acts they are instigated to commit. Such acts often lead to their own death and the killing of civilians, including other children. 22. Little is known of the strategies used by armed actors to access children for these acts of violence. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that families are forced to hand over their children to take part in these actions, and there have also been cases of poor families being induced by armed groups to give their children away, through the promise of money. The use of very young children and/or disabled children for such acts is also a horrifying trend of grave concern. There is an urgent need to fill the knowledge gap and to reach a better understanding of how these acts could be prevented. Concomitantly, there is a need to better address the stigmatization of, and prejudice against, children suspected of collaboration with armed actors, which lead to other violations including beatings, threats to children and their families, acts tantamount to torture, arbitrary arrests and detentions. In this context, particular attention must be given to young children, girls and disabled children. 2. Protection of children during military operations 23. In her last report, the Special Representative emphasized the risks for children during the course of military operations and the need to put in place specific policies and procedures, including tactical directives and standard operating procedures, in order to uphold international humanitarian law and prevent violations against children. New instruments of war, including the use of new technologies, the absence of clear battlefields and identifiable opponents have led to greater risks to children during military operations. The use of aerial attacks, including by drone, and night raids should be reviewed as a matter of priority by all armed actors, in order to minimize incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians and damage to civilian objects. 24. The safety and security of children is critical to the legitimacy and credibility of any military activity. This is even more important in the context of peacekeeping or stabilization operations, where consent for the foreign presence is paramount to 6 11-44370