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In June, the UN Security Council will hold its open debate on children and armed conflict (CAAC), under Estonia's presidency. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG-CAAC) Virginia Gamba will present the Secretary-General's (SG) 2021 annual report on children and armed conflict (forthcoming), covering the reporting period from January 1 to December 31, 2020.

In view of the upcoming open debate, Watchlist recommends that the Security Council and other UN Member States:

1. Call for increased compliance with international humanitarian, human rights, and refugee law and child protection norms, and strengthen accountability for all grave violations against children;

2. Make effective use of existing mechanisms and tools to monitor, report, and respond to child rights violations in armed conflict; and

3. Prioritize the protection of the rights and well-being of children in armed conflict, including in the context of efforts to counter terrorism.