A/70/162 and armed conflict in Iraq during a special session. At the twenty -eighth session of the Human Rights Council, in March 2015, the Special Representative presented her annual report to the Council (A/HRC/28/54), in which she noted developments on accountability for grave violations against children and set ou t a series of recommendations to further the protection of children’s rights. The Office of the Special Representative was actively involved in the implementation of the action plan and in the several work streams of the Secretary-General’s Human Rights Up Front initiative. 61. The Special Representative also met with the Chair and members of the Committee on the Rights of the Child to enhance information -sharing and encourage joint advocacy on children affected by armed conflict. The Special Representative continued to advocate ratification by Member States of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. In 2014, an additional seven States ratified the Optional Protocol, namely, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Saint Lucia and the State of Palestine. To date, the Optional Protocol has 129 signatories and 159 State parties. In December 2014, the Federal Parliament of Somalia adopted a law ratifying the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The law was signed by the President of Somalia on 20 January 2015. South Sudan also finalized the ratification of the Convention on 6 May 2015. VI. Recommendations 62. The Special Representative calls upon Member States to protect children caught up in conflict in line with international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law, particularly in the context of counteracting terrorism and extremist groups. 63. Noting the progress made in the “Children, not soldiers” campaign, the Special Representative calls upon the countries concerned to galvanize their efforts to finalize the implementation of their action plans. She also notes with concern the deteriorating situation in a number of countries involved in the camp aign, and calls upon their leaders to uphold earlier commitments to end the recruitment and use of children. 64. The Special Representative calls upon Member States to continue to facilitate United Nations access to and dialogue with non-State armed groups with a view to ending and preventing grave violations of children’s rights. Particular attention should be given to the inclusion of child protection concerns in ceasefire and peace negotiations with non-State armed groups. 65. The Special Representative calls upon Member States to consider alternatives to the deprivation of liberty of children for their alleged or actual association with armed groups or as part of counter-terrorism measures. She calls upon Member States to treat children associated with armed groups primarily as victims and to ensure that the deprivation of liberty, for any purpose whatsoever, should be a last resort and for the shortest time possible. 66. Recalling that the issue of the reintegration of children is crucial to ensure the long-term sustainability of peace and security, the Special Representative encourages the Member States concerned to take appropriate measures to reintegrate those children, giving special attention to the needs of girls. She also calls on all Member 16/17 15-12221