Monitoring and Reporting Grave Violations against Children in Conflict Training Course

Introduction

Children caught in armed conflict are among the most vulnerable, enduring horrific violations that demand systematic documentation and reporting to ensure accountability and response. This 5-day training course on Monitoring and Reporting Grave Violations against Children in Conflict provides participants with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to effectively collect, verify, and report on the six grave violations against children as defined by the United Nations. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the global mechanisms in place, including the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM), and the critical role their efforts play in advocating for child protection, informing policy, and ultimately contributing to the prevention of future atrocities.

This intensive program is designed for child protection specialists, human rights monitors, humanitarian aid workers, UN staff (including peacekeeping and political missions), civil society actors, and government officials working in conflict-affected regions. It will equip attendees with methodologies for child-sensitive data collection, secure information management, and ethical reporting, while emphasizing the crucial link between accurate monitoring and effective advocacy and response. By fostering a rigorous and compassionate approach to documenting these violations, this course aims to empower participants to be powerful voices for the protection and rights of children in conflict.

Duration: 5 Days

Target Audience:

  • Child Protection Specialists and Officers
  • Human Rights Monitors and Investigators
  • Humanitarian Aid Workers with protection mandates
  • UN Staff, particularly those in Child Protection Units or Human Rights Sections of peacekeeping/political missions
  • Civil Society Organizations focusing on child rights and armed conflict
  • Government officials involved in child protection and justice
  • Legal professionals and advocates for children's rights
  • Researchers and academics in child protection and conflict studies

Objectives: Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Identify and define the six grave violations against children in armed conflict as recognized by the UN.
  • Understand the purpose, components, and legal basis of the UN Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM).
  • Apply child-sensitive methodologies for data collection, interviewing, and evidence verification.
  • Analyze information gathered on grave violations and contribute to timely and accurate reports.
  • Articulate the importance of monitoring and reporting for advocacy, accountability, and programmatic response for children affected by armed conflict.

Course Modules:

Module 1: Introduction to Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) and Grave Violations

  • Defining Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) and its impact.
  • Historical context of the UN's engagement with CAAC.
  • The six grave violations against children in armed conflict:
    • Killing and maiming of children
    • Recruitment or use of children by armed forces and armed groups
    • Rape and other grave sexual violence against children
    • Abduction of children
    • Attacks on schools or hospitals
    • Denial of humanitarian access for children
  • The legal and normative framework for child protection in armed conflict (e.g., CRC, Optional Protocol on Children in Armed Conflict, IHL).
  • The concept of child protection in humanitarian action and peace operations.

Module 2: The Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM)

  • Purpose and objectives of the UN Security Council-mandated MRM (SCR 1612 and subsequent resolutions).
  • The structure of the MRM: Country Task Forces on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMRs).
  • Roles and responsibilities of key actors within the MRM (UNICEF, DPO, DPPA, OSRSG-CAAC).
  • Information flow and reporting requirements within the MRM.
  • The link between MRM data and the UN Secretary-General's Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict.

Module 3: Data Collection for Grave Violations

  • Planning and conducting field missions for data collection.
  • Diverse sources of information: direct testimonies, secondary sources, open-source intelligence.
  • Child-sensitive interviewing techniques: ethical considerations, safety, consent, "do no harm" principle.
  • Interviewing adult witnesses and other key informants.
  • Documenting incidents: details, dates, locations, alleged perpetrators, impact on children.

Module 4: Verification and Information Management

  • Principles of verification: accuracy, reliability, objectivity.
  • Corroboration of information from multiple sources.
  • Challenges in verification: access limitations, security risks, witness protection.
  • Secure information management systems for sensitive data (e.g., MRM-IMS+).
  • Data security, confidentiality, and privacy protocols.

Module 5: Analysis and Reporting Grave Violations

  • Qualitative and quantitative data analysis for child protection.
  • Identifying trends, patterns, and modus operandi of violations.
  • Developing child-sensitive analysis that highlights the impact on children.
  • Crafting clear, concise, and evidence-based reports for internal and external audiences.
  • Types of reports: incident reports, thematic reports, mission-specific reports.

Module 6: Linking Monitoring to Advocacy and Response

  • The role of verified data in advocacy efforts at local, national, and international levels.
  • Engaging parties to conflict: dialogue, demarches, and Action Plans to end violations.
  • Informing programmatic responses: psychosocial support, education in emergencies, family tracing.
  • Contributing to accountability mechanisms: supporting investigations, transitional justice.
  • The importance of timely reporting for triggering immediate action.

Module 7: Preventing and Responding to Grave Violations

  • Strategies for preventing grave violations: early warning, community-based protection.
  • Practical measures for child protection in armed conflict settings.
  • Addressing specific vulnerabilities: gender-based violence, disability, marginalization.
  • Integrating child protection into broader humanitarian and peacebuilding programs.
  • Psychosocial support for child victims and survivors of grave violations.

Module 8: Ethical Considerations, Challenges, and Future of MRM

  • Protecting informants and witnesses from retaliation.
  • Managing expectations of affected communities and children.
  • Dealing with re-traumatization during interviews.
  • Challenges of working in insecure and volatile environments.
  • Future directions for the MRM and global efforts to protect children in armed conflict.

CERTIFICATION

  • Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with Macskills Training and Development Institute Certificate

TRAINING VENUE

  • Training will be held at Macskills Training Centre. We also tailor make the training upon request at different locations across the world.

AIRPORT PICK UP AND ACCOMMODATION

  • Airport pick up and accommodation is arranged upon request

TERMS OF PAYMENT

Payment should be made to Macskills Development Institute bank account before the start of the training and receipts sent to info@macskillsdevelopment.com

 

Monitoring And Reporting Grave Violations Against Children In Conflict Training Course in Estonia
Dates Fees Location Action