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Summary: Children and Armed Conflict Caucus -
Notes of discussion of revised draft
outcome document 'A World Fit for
Children'; Agenda item 1: CPCCCAC-
L Meeting April 10: Joint NGO/Govt
Committee on War-Affected Children
Below are some initial draft comments on the Draft Outcome
Document, prepared by Kathy Vandergrift, based on work done
by the Children and Armed Conflict Caucus at the January
Preparatory Session.
The draft document can be found at the following website:
href="http://www.unicef.org/specialsession/draftoutcome.htm">
www.unicef.org/specialsession/draftoutcome.htm
Draft Comments on Revised Outcome Document for Special
Session on Children
Response to draft dated March 12, 2001 - Prepared by Kathy
Vandergrift
Major points
1. Generality of goals and strategies relating to violence
against children, including children and armed conflict.
The issue of violence against children, including children and
armed conflict, is recognized and given profile in the document.
The strategies, however, are very general goal statements, with
no clear mechanisms or measurable targets. This compares with
very specific targets for the more traditional areas of health. This
is partly understandable because of the nature of the issue; but
there is concern that attention and resources may be allocated to
those areas with measurable targets and commitments, resulting
in failure to achieve the stated goals for protection.
Sections 35 and 36 on protection include a wide range of issues,
including child labour, sexual exploitation, trafficking, armed
conflict, torture, and discrimination. Analysis is missing and there
is no differentiation in the role of various players in addressing
these issues, e.g. states and NGOs have different roles in
relation to the different issues grouped together in this section.
To be effective, the action plan should more clearly identify
relevant actors, actions, and measurable targets.
2. Child rights basis is weak.
The CRC is acknowledged but not integrated as the framework
for action. Action Plans are not integrated with implementation of
the CRC, other than a recommendation that the Committee on
the Rights of the Child include this action plan in its review of
national reports.
3. Accountability under the CRC
"Strengthen the monitoring of children affected by armed
conflict?" is listed as one of the strategies under the child
protection section, but no mechanisms are indicated. There is no
mention of improvement in follow-up actions to reported
violations, even though that was a strong, common theme
of NGO representations and also identified by several states as
an area for improvement.
The proposed system for monitoring this action plan will confuse
rather than clarify responsibility. The Committee on the Rights of
the Child is asked to include monitoring this Plan of Action in its
review of national reports. UNICEF is mandated to "periodically
prepare" a "consolidated analysis of actions taken by individual
countries and the international community in support of the
objectives of this Plan of Action. And the Secretary-General will
"report regularly" to the General Assembly on the progress made
in implementation of this Plan of Action.
No mention is made of strengthening the Committee on the
Rights of the Child. NGO recommendations to consolidate and
strengthen the reporting and accountability process are ignored.
There is no recognition that the situation of children in armed
conflict requires quicker attention and other avenues for action, if
the goal of protecting children from war is going to be met. No
mention is made, for example, of proposals for effective
implementation of Security Council resolutions for the security
of children.
There is a broad consensus about the need to improve
accountability mechanisms under the CRC. It will be regrettable if
the Special Session for Children makes no progress on this front.
4. Corporate Responsibility
The paragraph on corporate responsibility (paragraph 48) only
refers to sharing benefits of research, technology, and products
with children in need. It does not include responsibility for
preventing negative impact on children from current or planned
operations. This statement is much weaker than the Winnipeg
commitment on corporate responsibility.
Detailed comments
Paragraph 33:
The recommendation to "meet the learning needs of children
affected by crisis" should include the more specific
recommendation to make education a fourth pillar of
humanitarian assistance, including eligibility for
funding under consolidated appeals. This was a high priority
recommendation from the Winnipeg Conference and from the
Children and Armed Conflict NGO Caucus at the January
Preparatory Session.
Paragraph 36: The recommendation to "end impunity for crimes
against children by bringing perpetrators to justice and
publicising the penalties" should include reference to specific
mechanisms, including the ICC in the long-term and the need to
establish appropriate mechanisms at every level to achieve this
goal.
The lack of concrete mechanisms for several of the sections in this
paragraph relates to the general concern about the failure to
strengthen mechanisms of accountability under the CRC. Both
this section and the section on follow-up actions and monitoring
at the end need strengthening to be an effective action plan.
Paragraph 48; The concept of corporate responsibility must
include accepting responsibility to prevent negative impacts for
children associated with their operations. It must not be limited
to ensuring that the benefits are shared by children in need. This
is largely philanthropy, not corporate responsibility as it is framed.
Paragraph 51: This section on montoring should acknowledge
the CRC as the framework for monitoring, not vague language of
"broader set of child rights."
There was strong NGO consensus around the need to
consolidate all monitoring, reporting, and follow-up action
through one effective mechanism. There are recommendations
about that in the consolidated NGO response to the earlier draft,
in the NGO Action Plan, and in the Winnipeg Conference Report.