Compliance with humanitarian rules on the protection of children by non-state armed groups: The UN’s managerial approach

Abstract

The framework created by the United Nations (UN) to address the situation of children affected by armed conflicts relies on a Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism implemented by personnel on the ground and supervised by the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, with the endorsement of the UN Security Council. It produces information that may be employed by multiple actors and aims to ensure compliance with basic humanitarian rules and reduce grave violations suffered by children. States and non-State armed groups that are listed as violators are encouraged to engage in dialogue with UN personnel on the ground towards the adoption of action plans that will lead them to compliance. This chapter examines this framework as a predominantly managerial approach to non-compliance, highlighting its positive features as well as its shortcomings.