In June, the UN Secretary-General is submitted his 12th annual report on children and armed conflict to the Security Council, pursuant to SCR 2068. The Council discussed the report during a debate on children and armed conflict that took place on June 17.

Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict urged the Security Council to commit to the following actions to strengthen implementation of the Children and Armed Conflict agenda:

1) Encourage action plan implementation by parties to conflict and the UN;

2) Call for enhanced engagement by all relevant actors with non-state armed groups for the purpose of influencing them to end violations and to conclude action plans;

3) Take specific and concrete measures to increase pressure on perpetrators of grave violations against children;

4) Mainstream children and armed conflict-concerns in the Security Council’s country-specific work;

5) Revitalize the Security Council’s Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.

Read Watchlist’s Special Update for the June 2013 Open Debate.