A/68/267 national peacebuilding priorities and plans, including in resource allocation processes. 9. The challenges and concerns outlined herein are not new. While the joint efforts of Member States, the United Nations system and international partners have contributed to mitigating the impact of armed conflict on children, much remains to be done. The Special Representative has made it a priority to encourage Member States to renew their political engagement, which is crucial in translating international and national child protection standards and legislation into concrete gains for children in times of conflict. 10. Engagement at the international, regional and national levels is even more crucial as the nature of armed conflict continues to evolve and to present challenges for the protection of children. A. Ongoing and emerging concerns for child protection 11. The reporting period was marked by the escalation of the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic and by the conflict and military intervention in northern Mali, as well as by renewed instability in the Central African Republic. Children have also been severely affected in the many protracted conflict situations in which they continue to be victims of grave violations, including their recruitment and use by armed forces and groups. 12. Each year, thousands of children are trapped in armed conflict, and they are killed and maimed by explosive weapons, while in the direct line of fire or as collateral damage. Tactics relying heavily on explosive weaponry continued to have a disproportionate effect on children. Air strikes and the use of cluster munitions in populated areas, especially near schools and hospitals, continue to have a devastating impact on civilians, including children. In addition, children have been the victims of suicide attacks, both as bystanders and through their recruitment as suicide bombers. Improvised explosive devices, rockets, landmines, unexploded ordnance and remnants of war continued to take the lives and limbs of children in numerous countries. 13. Sexual violence remains widespread in many conflict situations, affecting both girls and boys. Although underreported, sexual violence and the forced marriage of girls to members of armed groups continued to be a pervasive threat. 14. Attacks on schools, hospitals, teachers, schoolchildren and medical personnel in situations of conflict remain widespread and alarming. Access to education and health care continues to be disrupted by the damage or destruction resulting from targeted attacks on schools and medical facilities and by the use of explosive weapons. Many schools and hospitals are looted by armed groups, used as barracks, operational centres and detention sites, including by governmental forces. Access to education is also hampered, as schools are targeted by armed groups as places for the indoctrination and recruitment of children. In some cases, extremist armed groups also interfere in school programmes. Teachers and medical personnel are often threatened or become victims of targeted killings and abductions. Girls’ access to education is particularly affected by all forms of attack on schools. 13-41862 3/18