We need to ACT NOW to Protect Children Affected by Conflict.

Wondering what you or your organization can do?

 Here is how to support:

Commit and ACT for children

[Photo: UNICEF]

  • Implement or support existing Action Plans signed between parties to conflict and the UN to end and prevent grave violations against children;
  • Generate engagement with more parties to conflict to commit to new Action Plans to end grave violations against children;
  • Work towards universal ratification and implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict;
  • Advocate for universal endorsement of international commitments to strengthen the norms and standards for the protection of children such as the Safe Schools Declaration, Paris Principles, and Vancouver Principles;
  • Engage on better ways to foster and protect war orphans and unaccompanied children on the move;

Provide Justice for Children

[Photo: UNICEF]

  • Support efforts to strengthen national legal frameworks for the protection of children;
  • Advocate for the criminalization of grave violations committed against boys and girls;
  • Work towards accountability for perpetrators of grave violations against children in conflict by calling for prosecutions of alleged perpetrators and reparations for child victims;
  • Promote regional and international norms on justice and accountability for conflict-affected children,
  • Ensure child victims of grave violations are treated primarily as victims

Deliver Services for Children

[Photo: UNICEF]

  • Work to strengthen local capacity to assist children affected by war
  • Provide access to education and health services for all children including emergency education and education during long-term reintegration process;
  • Increase efforts to ensure that children have access to humanitarian assistance, even in times of conflict;
  • Ensure that all children released by armed groups and forces have access to sustainable reintegration programs;
  • Increase the availability of gender-specific services available for child survivors of sexual violence, including long-term health and psycho-social assistance;

Prevent Violations

PHOTO: MONUSCO

  • Work with communities in countries affected by conflict to increase awareness and action to protect children
  • Ensure sufficient and dedicated child protection expertise and capacity in all countries affected by conflict, including those with UN peacekeeping or political missions;
  • Develop and strengthen child protection capacities within national security forces, non-state actors including civil society, and the international community;
  • Develop and implement national and regional plans to prevent violations against children;
  • Integrate child protection issues in peace processes;

Build Partnerships

  • Strengthen partnerships between the UN, civil society including inter-faith organizations, affected countries and the international community to enhance the protection of children;
  • Work with universities and other research institutions to strengthen child protection knowledge and practices;
  • Create or become part of a local initiative to strengthen advocacy and support for the protection of children;
  • Support parties to conflict in their efforts to end and prevent all violations against children in armed conflict;

Together, we can

  • Stay informed and share news about what is happening to children growing up in countries affected by conflict
  • Remind warring parties the world has long agreed that all children must be protected;
  • Support organizations that provide services for child victims of grave violations;
  • Promote a culture of peace and support initiatives that help create communities that are more secure for children;
  • Encourage the international community to give attention and resources for the protection of children;

Add your voice, use the hashtag #ACTtoProtect