Every year, between September and December, all Members of the UN General Assembly meet to discuss international issues that fall under the UN Charter. Discussions are organized through six thematic Committees.
Child rights are a standing point on the agenda of the Third Committee, which focuses on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural affairs. Under this agenda point, the Committee discusses and adopts an annual Omnibus Resolution on the Rights of the Child, examines reports of relevant Special Rapporteurs and Special Representatives, as well as any new child-related draft Resolutions that may be tabled by Member States.
This year, the Omnibus Resolution on the Rights of the Child is expected to include a provision on the renewal of the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. This mandate has been consistently extended every three years since its creation in by Resolution 51/77 in 1997.
Children and armed conflict: key issues under discussion at the 2011 UN General Assembly:
- The Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict to the General Assembly
- The role of Governments in protecting conflict affected children
- Draft Resolution “Strengthening of the coordination of the United Nations system on child protection” – a threat to the independence of UN mandate-holders?