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1 ** This document has been posted online by the United Nations Department for Policy Coordination and Sustainable Development (DPCSD). Reproduction and dissemination of the document - in electronic and/or printed format - is encouraged, provided acknowledgement is made of the role of the United Nations in making it available. ** UNITED NATIONS Distr. GENERAL A/51/306 26 August 1996 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH Fifty-first session Item 108 of the provisional agenda* * A/51/150.

2 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. Grac'a 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.

3 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 .

4 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. Grac'a Machel, submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 48/157 Page 1 of 789/9/2002 CONTENTS Paragraphs Page I.

5 INTRODUCTION .. 1 - 28 9 A. The attack on children .. 1 - 8 9 B. Course of the study and its methodology .. 9 - 21 10 C. Patterns and characteristics of contemporary armed conflicts .. 22 - 28 13 II. MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF armed conflict ON CHILDREN .. 29 - 203 15 A. Child soldiers .. 34 - 62 16 1. Recruitment .. 36 - 43 16 2. How child soldiers are used .. 44 - 48 18 3. Demobilization and reintegration into society.

6 49 - 57 19 4. Preventing future recruitment .. 58 - 61 21 5. Specific recommendations on child soldiers .. 62 22 B. Refugees and internally displaced children .. 63 - 90 22 1. Vulnerability of children in flight .. 67 - 68 23 2. Unaccompanied children .. 69 - 74 23 3. Evacuation .. 75 - 76 25 4. Children in camps .. 77 - 80 25 5. The situation of internally displaced children 81 - 83 26 6.

7 Asylum and the right to identity and nationality .. 84 - 86 27 7. Returning home and durable solutions .. 87 - 89 28 8. Specific recommendations for refugee and internally displaced children .. 90 28 C. Sexual exploitation and gender-based violence .. 91 - 110 29 1. Gender-based violence: a weapon of war .. 91 - 95 29 2. Child victims of prostitution and sexual exploitation.

8 96 - 102 30 3. Ending impunity .. 103 - 106 32 4. Preventing gender-based violence .. 107 - 109 32 5. Specific recommendations on sexual exploitation and gender-based violence .. 110 33 Page 2 of 789/9/2002 D. Landmines and unexploded ordnance .. 111 - 126 34 1. The threat to children .. 113 - 118 34 2. Mine clearance, mine awareness and rehabilitation .. 119 - 122 36 3.

9 The need for an international ban .. 123 - 125 37 4. Specific recommendations on landmines and unexploded ordnance .. 126 38 E. Sanctions .. 127 - 135 38 1. Humanitarian exemptions .. 128 - 130 39 2. The need for child impact assessments and monitoring .. 131 - 134 40 3. Specific recommendations on sanctions .. 135 41 F. Health and nutrition .. 136 - 165 41 1. Communicable diseases.

10 140 - 142 42 2. Reproductive health .. 143 - 144 43 3. Disability .. 145 43 4. Destruction of health facilities .. 146 - 148 44 5. Protecting health services and health workers . 149 - 151 44 6. Disruption of food supplies .. 152 - 154 45 7. Malnutrition .. 155 - 161 46 8. Protecting food security .. 162 - 164 47 9. Specific recommendations on health and nutrition.