On April 23, the UN Secretary-General submitted his 10th annual report on children and armed conflict to the UN Security Council. Among other recommendations, the Secretary-General called on the Security Council to expand “the gateway to the annexes of [his] report [on children and armed conflict] to include parties that attack schools and/or hospitals”. The annexes of the Secretary-General’s report feature a “list of shame”, showing, so far, the names of parties to armed conflicts who recruit and use child soldiers, engage in patterns of killing and maiming children and/or rape and sexual violence against children in situations of conflict.
Germany, currently chairing the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (Working Group), has made it a priority to enhance the protection against attacks on schools and hospitals (See Germany’s priorities in the Security Council 2011-2012) and has recently launched a campaign on this issue (“Protect my school”).
It is therefore expected that a new Security Council Resolution on children and armed conflict will be voted on at the occasion of the Security Council’s Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict in mid-July 2011.
Why are UN Security Council Resolutions important for the children and armed conflict agenda?
What do attacks against schools and hospitals look like on the ground?
What does humanitarian law say about attacks on schools and hospitals?
What has the UN said about attacks against schools and/or hospitals so far?
WATCHLIST ADVOCACY AROUND THE NEW RESOLUTION
