Watchlist has been engaging with partners in Colombia since 2007 to strengthen civil society capacity to monitor and report grave violations against children and advocate for a comprehensive protection of children in the context of the armed conflict. Specifically, the project aims to promote stronger UN-civil society partnerships in the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1612 on the ground, in particular through active civil society participation in the MRM Country Task Force. The Task Force is mandated to collect and verify information on grave violations by armed actors and report it to the UN Security Council and to foster high-level engagement with relevant authorities to strengthen the prevention, protection and response to grave violations against children. The project supports:
- Continuous and targeted engagement with conflict-affected communities to raise awareness on the national and international legal framework protecting children in conflict and on existing assistance services for victims and children at risk. This includes trainings, vulgarization and dissemination of information and campaigns.
- Analysis of challenges and gaps in the monitoring, reporting and response framework for children affected by the armed conflict in Colombia.
- Advocacy at national and international level to address these challenges and gaps.
Examples of activities:
IPI/Watchlist Roundtable Discussion – “Voices from the Field: Protecting Children from Conflict and Strengthening Accountability of Armed Actors” (New York, Sept. 2012)
