Support to the Office of the SRSG on Children and Armed Conflict 2015-2019

This grant represents Canada’s institutional support to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG-CAAC). The SRSG-CAAC uses these funds along with other donors’ funding to achieve its mandate to promote and protect the rights and welfare of children in armed conflict. The United Nations Security Council in successive resolutions called upon the Secretary-General to take measures for the protection of children in armed conflict and has called for annual reports on the implementation of such measures. The Office of the SRSG-CAAC has been given the lead responsibility for monitoring and mainstreaming the implementation of these Security Council resolutions. The SRSG-CAAC is charged with drafting in consultation with relevant partners the Secretary-General’s annual reports to the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict and the reports to the Council’s working group on Children and Armed Conflict. The SRSG-CAAC prepares and presents an annual report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva and contributes to its respective tools and mechanisms. As the convenor of the UN Headquarters Task Force on Children and Armed Conflict the SRSG-CAAC ensures that there is a consultative process in the compilation of the Secretary-General’s reports and that timely reliable and high-quality reports are prepared. Since 2006 the Working Group of the Security Council on Children and Armed Conflict has received 50 reports (as at December 2014) on children and armed conflict in situations of concern and has issued 45 conclusions and recommendations emanating from the review of these reports. Activities include: (1) monitoring the situation of children affected by armed conflict and reporting to the General Assembly the Security Council the Human Rights Council and other destinations for action; (2) engaging in high-level advocacy to promote awareness of and support for global initiatives to end grave violation

The expected objectives as stated by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict include: (1) greater awareness political support and global action for the rights of children affected by armed conflict; (2) effective provision of political leadership and advocacy in consultation with partners for the rights of all children in situations of armed conflict including with member states; and (3) mainstreaming of children and armed conflict concerns especially in peacemaking peacekeeping and peacebuilding and with regional and sub-regional organizations.