Advancing a Children, Peace and Security Agenda for the Future of UN Peacekeeping

Grave violations of children’s rights during armed conflict, particularly the recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups, have been an important and growing concern for UN peacekeeping since the mid-1990s. Important advances in these children and armed conflict agenda have included dedicated child protection language in mission mandates, the development of extensive training and policy on child protection, and successful engagement with armed forces and groups to end abuses against children. However, the mandate has gaps in focusing on prevention of grave violations, acknowledging children’s participation in peace and security, and how child protection could contribute to building and sustaining peace. This chapter examines three areas in which future UN peacekeeping missions can improve their approach to the children and armed conflict agenda and complement ongoing initiatives such as Action for Peacekeeping + : better centering children in peace and security efforts, improving early warning and early action to prevent grave violations, and adopting more nuanced understandings of children’s gender and agency.