Children in Armed Conflict: Watchlist 2023 “Credible List” Report
Since the establishment of the Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) mandate in December 1996, the agenda has expanded and provides policymakers a unique set of tools for promoting the protection of children in war and addressing grave violations of their rights.
Among these tools is the Secretary-General’s annual report on the situation of children affected by armed conflict (‘annual report’). The listing mechanism, which draws its evidence base from the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM), has served as another important tool for the protection of children in armed conflict. It provides a key first step towards accountability by clearly identifying warring parties responsible for grave violations against children in armed conflict. The mechanism also serves as a foundation for the UN to dialogue with warring parties, secure concrete commitments to end and prevent violations through UN action plans, and create tangible positive changes for children affected by war.
Since 2017, Watchlist has published an annual policy note with recommendations for the Secretary-General on parties to conflict that have committed grave violations against children and should be listed in the annexes of the forthcoming annual report. Watchlist’s annual policy note also makes recommendations on parties that should be further investigated and country situations that should be included as “other situations of concern” in the Secretary-General’s annual report.
Watchlist prepared a communications packet to disseminate key messaging and recommendations within the credible list report after its publication on April 19, 2023. We invite you, members of the Watchlist network, to consider joining us in spreading these messages and calling on Secretary-General Guterres to publish a complete list of perpetrators that is evidence-based, transparent, and in furtherance of maintaining the integrity and credibility of the list.
Check out Watchlist’s site here.
