Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: CDI launched the report in New York on 30 June at an event co-hosted by the Permanent Missions of Canada and Germany to the United Nations.
[30 June 2011] - Across the globe, a dramatic gap exists between efforts and outcomes in realizing accountability for grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict. To address this gap many practical opportunities exist. While some national and international mechanisms have made notable progress, for the most part they have not achieved effective accountability. Perpetrators are rarely held to account. Efforts to include or prioritize children in non-judicial efforts tend to be weak and sporadic. Prevention efforts do not always guarantee children a safer and more secure future. Children seldom benefit from tangible improvements to their environment and quality of life as a result of accountability initiatives. Moreover, most relevant mechanisms are not designed to focus specifically on children in situations of armed conflict. This report highlights this “accountability gap” based on evaluation of a number of mechanisms utilized at the national and international levels, including the UN Security Council, to achieve accountability for violations against children in armed conflict. The report focuses specifically on 7 contemporary situations of armed conflict. The report also presents practical policy options intended to improve and prioritize accountability for violations against children in armed conflict. The policy options presented in this report are intended to catalyze further exploration of these options and their implementation at the national and international levels.