Summary:

Following the General Discussion on “Children in armed conflicts” (1992), pursuant General Assembly resolution 48/157 (1993), three reports were submitted at the General Assembly by the Secretary- general. This is the outline of the summary report submitted at the fifty-first (1996) session (A/51/306)

www.unhchr.ch/huridocda/huridoca.nsf/(Symbol)/A.51.306.En?Opendocument

General Assembly

A/51/306 26 August 1996

Fifty-first session Item 108 of the provisional agenda*

PROMOTION AND PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN

Impact of armed conflict on children

Note by the Secretary-General

1. The Secretary-General has the honour to transmit herewith to the General Assembly the study on the impact of armed conflict on children, prepared by Ms. Graça Machel, the expert appointed by him on 8 June 1994, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 48/157 of 20 December 1993. The study was undertaken with the support of the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and the United Nations Children's Fund, as provided for in the resolution, and is the fruit of extensive and wide-ranging consultations.

2. In the study, the expert proposes the elements of a comprehensive agenda for action by Member States and the international community to improve the protection and care of children in conflict situations, and to prevent these conflicts from occurring. The study demonstrates the centrality of these issues to the international human rights, peace and security and development agendas, and should serve to promote urgent and resolute action on the part of the international community to redress the plight of children affected by armed conflicts.

3. The Secretary-General trusts that the General Assembly will give thorough consideration to this study and to the mechanisms required for following up and monitoring the implementation of the conclusions and recommendations it will adopt on this important subject.

IMPACT OF ARMED CONFLICT ON CHILDREN

Report of the expert of the Secretary-General, Ms. Graça Machel, submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 48/157

CONTENTS Paragraphs

I. INTRODUCTION 1 - 28 A. The attack on children 1 - 8 B. Course of the study and its methodology 9 - 21 C. Patterns and characteristics of contemporary armed conflicts 22 - 28

II. MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF ARMED CONFLICT ON CHILDREN 29 - 203

A. Child soldiers 34 - 62 1. Recruitment 36 - 43 2. How child soldiers are used44 - 48 3. Demobilization and reintegration into society 49 - 57 4. Preventing future recruitment 58 - 61 5. Specific recommendations on child soldiers 62

B. Refugees and internally displaced children 63 - 90 1. Vulnerability of children in flight 67 - 68 2. Unaccompanied children 69 - 74 3. Evacuation 75 - 76 4. Children in camps 77 - 80 5. The situation of internally displaced children 81 - 83 6. Asylum and the right to identity and nationality 84 - 86 7. Returning home and durable solutions 87 - 89 8. Specific recommendations for refugee and internally displaced children 90

C. Sexual exploitation and gender-based violence 91 - 110 1. Gender-based violence: a weapon of war 91 - 95 2. Child victims of prostitution and sexual exploitation 96 - 102 3. Ending impunity 103 - 106 4. Preventing gender-based violence 107 - 109 5. Specific recommendations on sexual exploitation and gender- based violence 110

D. Landmines and unexploded ordnance 111 - 126 1. The threat to children 113 - 118 2. Mine clearance, mine awareness and rehabilitation 119 - 122 3. The need for an international ban 123 - 125 4. Specific recommendations on landmines and unexploded ordnance 126 38

E. Sanctions 127 - 135 1. Humanitarian exemptions 128 - 130 2. The need for child impact assessments and monitoring 131 - 134 3. Specific recommendations on sanctions 135

F. Health and nutrition 136 - 165 1. Communicable diseases 140 - 142 2. Reproductive health 143 - 144 3. Disability 145 4. Destruction of health facilities 146 - 148 5. Protecting health services and health workers 149 - 151

Previous CRC - Basic Reference Document items

• 07/07/1996: World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Draft Declaration and Programme of Action
• 18/06/1996: Report of the Committee on the Rights of the Child - General Assembly
• 05/02/1996: Fifty-second session of the Commission on Human Rights - Impact of armed conflict on children
• 18/12/1995: Report on the tenth session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child
• 10/10/1995: General Assembly 50 session - Report of the study on “The impact on Children of Armed Conflicts” by the Secretary-general (A/50/537)

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Last updated 12/04/2001 07:44:31

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