On June 23, 2020, the UN Security Council will hold its annual open debate on children and armed conflict (CAC) under France’s presidency. The open debate is a key opportunity for Member States to reaffirm their support for the CAC agenda, which seeks to address grave violations of children’s rights in armed conflict, hold those responsible to account, and prevent future crimes against children.
In view of the upcoming open debate, Watchlist recommends that the Security Council and other UN Member States:
- Call for increased compliance with international humanitarian, human rights, and refugee law and child protection norms, and strengthen accountability for all grave violations against children;
- Make effective use of existing mechanisms and tools to monitor, report, and respond to child rights violations in armed conflict; and
- Prioritize the protection of the rights and well-being of children in armed conflict, including in the context of efforts to counter terrorism.
Read Watchlist’s Special Update for the June 2020 Open Debate.
Photo credit: © UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan.
