In February and March, Watchlist released a substantial update to its award-winning Smartphone App on Children and Armed Conflict. Utilizing generous funding from the Government of Switzerland, the Smartphone app now offers an interactive training tool on attacks on schools and hospitals to Apple, Android, and web-based users. The tool, which is based on the UN’s “Protect Schools + Hospitals: Guidance Note on Security Council Resolution 1998” aims to increase clarity around reporting on attacks on schools and hospitals in line with the UN’s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism, in an interactive and innovative way. The tool is designed to help child protection practitioners in the field who wish to learn more about MRM reporting within the context of Security Council Resolution 1998.
The tool allows users to train on attacks on health care, attacks on education, or a combination of both. It presents the user with 10 randomized hypothetical cases and the users are asked to select if the case presents an MRM reporting violation, a listing violation, an IHL violation, and/or an advocacy point. After submitting, the user is shown the correct answer and an explanation. For further context, the tool also features a background section on SCR 1998, as well as definitions of the four possible answers and other context-specific terms. Users can track progress over time with a results dashboard.
Thus far, more than 5,500 people around the world have downloaded the app. We encourage users to submit feedback on their experience using the app’s survey so that we can continue to improve upon the app based on your preferences.
Download the app for Apple, Android, and Blackberry, or use it on the web.
