A/HRC/25/46 12. This progress notwithstanding, armed conflict still plagues children’s lives, depriving them of their right to life and physical integrity, but also of their basic social, economic and cultural rights. Every day in all conflict situations, such as in the Syrian Arab Republic, Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Afghanistan, thousands of children are being recruited, killed, maimed, abducted, subjected to sexual violence, indoctrinated and forced to commit atrocities, denied humanitarian access, and deprived of health care. The Special Representative remains concerned by the arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and ill-treatment of children, as well as by attacks on schools and hospitals despite their protected status under international law, during the reporting period. 13. While all grave violations remain a serious problem, the Special Representative is deeply concerned by ongoing reports of sexual violence committed against children in armed conflict. However, in most conflict situations, including in Darfur and in the Syrian Arab Republic, sexual violence against children is underreported, due to difficulties in accessing areas affected by conflict, and the hesitation of victims to report on sexual violence, fearing social exclusion and retribution. 14. The Special Representative raised awareness of how sexual violence causes irreparable harm and devastating consequences for the physical and psychosocial wellbeing of girls and boys. Girls are used as sex slaves or “wives” of members of armed forces and groups. The Special Representative recognizes that children subjected to sexual violence by armed groups play multiple roles, including the role of combatant, and other support roles, and require special attention. Victims of sexual violence are least likely to be reached for separation, reintegration and legal redress. Therefore, the Special Representative continues to advocate for special provisions for victims of sexual violence in armed conflict to ensure their access to justice and to proper reintegration assistance. III. Working with United Nations human rights mechanisms 15. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is a key partner to the Office of the Special Representative, particularly with respect to assisting in strengthening coherent monitoring and reporting of the six grave violations, and mainstreaming child rights issues in armed conflict into the work of human rights mechanisms such as the universal periodic review of the Human Rights Council, the treaty bodies and the special procedures. 16. OHCHR’s field presence and its deployment of human rights officers in multidimensional peacekeeping operations and political missions continues to make an important contribution to the monitoring and reporting of grave violations against children during armed conflict, in conjunction with other United Nations and civil society partners. 17. The recommendations by United Nations human rights mechanisms, pertaining to the issue of children and armed conflict, are a key advocacy tool in the work of the Special Representative. The role of the Human Rights Council is particularly important in promoting the development of international norms and standards to protect children’s rights in conflict situations and in ensuring that States apply these. 18. The Special Representative welcomes the adoption by the Human Rights Council of resolution 23/25 on accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women by, inter alia, preventing and responding to rape against girls in conflict. Sexual violence against girls has long-term adverse consequences for their reproductive health, which include unintended pregnancies, and contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The Special Representative strongly supports the call for States to put an end to impunity and to effectively use all appropriate means to thoroughly investigate and 5