Children have Rights.
Children want peace.
Listen and take action.
Prove it matters.
In 1989, world leaders made a historic commitment by adopting almost unanimously the Convention
on the Rights of the Child (CRC), defining who is a child, and confirming their unique rights and
special needs. Despite the nearly universal ratification of the CRC and the tireless efforts of the child
protection community, children continue to be the silent, and often invisible, victims of war,
subjected to unspeakable atrocities. Comparatively, the most recent report of the Secretary-General
on Children and Armed Conflict has shown that 2023, was the most deadly and harmful year for
children caught in situations of armed conflict in the last twenty years. This stark truth demands
urgent action, and the Office of the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict
(OSRSG CAAC) is launching a new global campaign entitles 'Prove It Matters'.
This campaign aims for children to become the advocate of their own rights and elevate their voices.
It also aims at reigniting the global consensus on child protection which first brought the CRC to life,
and mobilize Member States to take concrete action to protect and promote children’s rights, even
in the most challenging times and contexts of armed conflict. The campaign will be articulated
around two calls to action:
To Member States
Especially those on the Children and Armed
Conflict agenda, to publicly pledge their
commitment to the CRC and take
immediate, concrete measures to safeguard
children’s rights to life, health, education, and to a
safe future. The website dedicated to
the campaign highlights countries that have shared their recommitments (www.proveitmattersnow.com)
To children worldwide
Particularly those affected by conflict, to participate
in a child participatory initiative symbolized by the
dissemination of messages of peace in and
through origami doves that they will create and
share with my Office. An art piece will be created
with all the origami doves collected and will be
displayed at the United Nations in New York in the
second year of the campaign. This activity aims at
engaging children creatively in a global movement
but also at initiating discussions with children, about
peace and about their rights. An info pack dedicated for this activity is available on the website dedicated to the campaign.
This campaign is being implemented with a wide range of partners from UN agencies and Civil Society Organizations and is supported by Champions.
For more info, visit: www.proveitmattersnow.com or contact proveitmatters@un.org
Commitments from Member States
1. Reinforcing National Commitments to UN Child Protection Frameworks
• Strengthen inter-institutional coordination for timely information-sharing and follow-up on patterns of grave violations against children, in line with relevant UN child protection frameworks and Colombia’s international obligations.
• Colombia commits to strengthening cooperation with the Office of the SRSG for Children and Armed Conflict of the United Nations, UNICEF and relevant UN partners, in line with UNSC Resolution 1612 and the Children and Armed Conflict agenda, by designating a government focal point and establishing a secure, regular technical coordination channel.
2. Keeping Education Safe: Child and communities Protection in Schools and educational environments
• Continue the implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration National Action Plan.
• Construct the Safe Schools Declaration National Action Plan 2027-2030.
• Colombia commits to preventing civic-military activities involving children in and around schools, particularly in conflict-affected areas, and to advancing measures that prevent the military use of schools and universities.
• Colombia commits to strengthening the capacities of the Intersectoral Commission for the Prevention of Recruitment, Utilization, Use and Sexual Violence against Children (CIPRUNNA) by implementing its annual action plans, allocating adequate resources, and prioritizing high-risk municipalities, while also reinforcing reintegration services for children and protection strategies for families and child rights defenders.
3. Truth, Memory and Non-Repetition for Children Affected by Armed Conflict
• Colombia commits to strengthening inter-institutional coordination to advance the implementation of recommendations relevant to children and adolescents affected by the armed conflict while promoting the dissemination and pedagogical appropriation of the Commission’s findings on children (No es un mal menor) through dialogue with national and territorial authorities, civil society, and international partners, and promoting safe and meaningful participation of children in memory and non-repetition initiatives.
4. Expanding Child Participation in National Decision-Making
Within the framework of the strategy for the effective participation of children, adolescents, and youth in the Safe Schools Roundtable, implement the Prove It Matters origami peacedove initiative in locations deemed suitable for the activity.
• Colombia commits to ensuring that the voices of children, with a special emphasis in their accessibility, are considered, and actively involved in decision-making processes, peace dialogues, and the development or revision of national policies that affect them.
• Colombia commits to ensuring the active participation of children and adolescents in municipal and departmental coordination tables.
Recent posts
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- Immediate and Urgent Action for Children Across Sudan, as Conflict Intensifies in North Kordofan
- In Historic First, Central Africa Endorses Regional Prevention Strategy on Children and Armed Conflict
- Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict: Remarks by USG CAAC Frazier
- A Year of Unthinkable Suffering: Record Number of Children in Conflict Victims of Grave Violations in 2025, With Government Forces as the Leading Perpetrator for the First Time