Live Seminar 41: Children as Victims, Witnesses, and Perpetrators: Challenges to Justice in Armed Conflict
Date/Time:
February 9, 2012 - 9:30am - 11:00am
Location:
Online, United States
Website:
https://hsphevents.webex.com/hsphevents/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=4787362&...
Description:
The involvement of children in armed conflict as victims, witnesses, survivors, and perpetrators raises fundamental challenges. Over the last 15 years, the United Nations, governments, and civil society actors have focused increased attention on grave violations against children, as well as the participation of children in justice systems and accountability for children's involvement in armed conflict. In November 2011, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict published a Working Paper on "Children and Justice During and in the Aftermath of Armed Conflict," which explores complex related issues. Against the backdrop of that recent publication, this Live Web Seminar conducted by HPCR in partnership with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict explored the following issues:
- The scope of legal and normative protections provided to children affected by armed conflict;
- Challenges and opportunities of children's participation in justice systems including courts and tribunals, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, traditional justice systems, and reparations at the domestic, regional, and international levels; and
- The responsibility of children who may have committed international crimes during armed conflict.
Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, "Children and Justice During and in the Aftermath of Armed Conflict," Working Paper No. 3, November 2011.
Cécile Aptel, "Children and Accountability for International Crimes: The Contribution of International Criminal Courts," Innocenti Working Paper 2010-20, Florence, UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, August 2010.
Cécile Aptel and Virginie Ladisch, "Through a New Lens: A Child-Sensitive Approach to Transitional Justice," International Center for Transitional Justice, August 2011.
Children and Transitional Justice: Truth-Telling, Accountability and Reconciliation (eds Sharanjeet Parmar, Mindy Jane Roseman, Saudamini Siegrist and Theo Sowa), Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School | UNICEF, March 2010.
Conflict Dynamics International, "Bridging the Accountability Gap: New Approaches to Addressing Violations against Children in Armed Conflict," 2011.
Matthew Happold, "Protecting Children in Armed Conflict: Harnessing the Security Council's 'Soft Power'," Israel Law Review, Vol. 43, 2010.
International Bureau for Children's Rights, "Children and Armed Conflict: A guide to international humanitarian and human rights law," New Edition, 2010.
International Committee of the Red Cross, "Legal Protection of Children in Armed Conflict," Advisory Services Section, February 2003.
Security Council Report, "Cross-Cutting Report No. 1: Children and Armed Conflict," July 6, 2011.
In partnership with:
The Federal Department for Foreign Affairs (FDFA) formulates and coordinates Swiss foreign policy on the instructions of the Federal Council. A coherent foreign policy is a precondition for the effective protection of Swiss interests vis-à-vis foreign countries.
Sida works according to directives of the Swedish Parliament and Government to reduce poverty in the world. The overall goal of Swedish development cooperation is to contribute to making it possible for poor people to improve their living conditions.
