Children and Armed Conflict

  • July 2018

    Children and Armed Conflict

    Monthly Forecast

    In July, the Council will hold a high-level open debate on children and armed conflict with the theme, “Protecting Children Today Prevents Conflict Tomorrow”. Sweden, the chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, has chosen to focus on how protecting children affected by armed conflict can contribute to conflict prevention and sustaining peace. The meeting will be chaired by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven. Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba will present the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict circulated on 27 June. Other speakers include the executive director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore, and Yenny Londoño, a civil society representative from Colombia. A resolution is expected to be adopted during the debate.

  • This afternoon (7 May), Council members will hold an Arria-formula meeting on “Ending and Preventing Grave Violations against Children through Action Plans: Best Practices from African States”. The Arria-formula meeting has been organised by Poland in partnership with Côte d’Ivoire,...

  • 20 November 2017

    Open Debate and Resolution on Human Trafficking

    What's in Blue

    Tomorrow (21 November), the Security Council will hold an open debate on trafficking in persons in conflict situations, organised by Italy. Secretary-General António Guterres, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Yuri Fedotov, and Special Rapporteur on...

  • November 2017

    In Hindsight: Children and Armed Conflict

    Monthly Forecast

    The children and armed conflict agenda has had a difficult few years. Increasingly complex crisis have led to a deteriorating situation for children in conflict situations and a rise in violations against them.

  • Tomorrow (31 October), the Security Council will have an open debate on children and armed conflict focused on the Secretary-General’s annual report on this issue. The debate will be presided over by the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International...

  • This report covers key developments during 2016 and through mid-October 2017. It pays particular attention to the role of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, with an account of its evolution since it was established in 2006, and highlights the activities of the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.

  • 12 October 2017

    Arria-Formula Meeting on Attacks on Schools

    What's in Blue

    Tomorrow morning (13 October), France, Italy, Sweden and Uruguay are organising an Arria-formula meeting on the issue of attacks on schools. The briefers will be Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba; Joy Bishara, one of the female...

  • October 2017

    Children and Armed Conflict

    Monthly Forecast

    In October, the Council will hold an open debate to discuss the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict. France, the president for October, has indicated an interest in also having a discussion during the meeting on the Paris Principles and Commitments to protect children from unlawful recruitment or use by armed forces and groups. A presidential statement, which would be drafted by Sweden, the penholder and chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, is a possible outcome. At press time, the annual report had not yet been published. Secretary-General António Guterres, Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba and a civil society representative are expected to speak.

  • On Tuesday (14 March), the Security Council will hold a ministerial-level open debate on “Trafficking in persons in conflict situations: forced labour, slavery and other similar practices”, held under the Council agenda item “Maintenance of international peace and security”. The...

  • 19 December 2016

    Open Debate and Resolution on Human Trafficking

    What's in Blue

    Tomorrow (20 December), the Security Council will convene for a ministerial-level open debate on trafficking in persons in conflict situations, organised by Spain. The meeting will be chaired by Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy Brey. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Executive Director...

  • August 2016

    Children and Armed Conflict

    Monthly Forecast

    In August, the Council is expected to hold an open debate to discuss the Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict and its addendum. Malaysia, the chair of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and this month’s president, has circulated a concept note for the meeting noting the achievements over the last 20 years and highlighting key developments in the children and armed conflict agenda in 2015 and 2016.

  • On Wednesday (16 December), the US has organised a briefing on trafficking in persons in situations of conflict. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson will brief along with Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC)....

  • Tomorrow afternoon (18 September), the Yemen 2140 Sanctions Committee and the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict will hold joint informal consultations on the conflict in Yemen. Ambassadors Raimonda Murmokaite (Lithuania), the chair of the 2140 Sanctions Committee, and...

  • On Thursday (18 June), the Security Council will hold a ministerial-level open debate on children and armed conflict focused on the Secretary-General’s annual report on this topic (S/2015/409) and on the issue of abductions. The debate will be chaired by...

  • This is Security Council Report’s seventh Cross-Cutting Report on Children and Armed Conflict, continuing a series that began in 2008.