134.      In recent years, civilian populations have increasingly become the targets of armed groups. Women, who often suffer in disproportionate numbers, are being subjected to atrocities that include organized sexual violence and exploitation. Children are being targeted—and at times recruited or abducted into militia forces. Women and children also constitute the majority of the world’s refugees and internally displaced persons. In the circumstances, the protection of civilians, especially women and children in conflict situations, remains a key humanitarian imperative for the international community and the UN system.

135.      The work of UN system organizations to address the protection of civilians in situations of armed conflict or transition is guided by international norms derived from humanitarian, human rights, refugee and criminal law. On that basis, the system has endeavoured to establish common policy orientations that can maximize the coherence and impact of its work for the protection of civilians. As a result, the protection of civilians is now more systematically integrated into the mandates of various peacekeeping operations in Africa. As part of the same effort, common approaches are being developed to use multidisciplinary and joint assessment missions for evaluating the implementation of humanitarian mandates within peacekeeping environments.

136.      A system-wide effort is underway to raise greater awareness of the role and responsibilities of Member States in protecting civilians in armed conflict, including in monitoring, reporting and taking action against violations. In general, the UN is pursuing the protection of civilians in armed conflict through a broad platform for action which covers: (a) improving humanitarian access to civilians in need; (b) improving the safety and security of humanitarian personnel; (c) improving measures to respond to the security needs of refugees and internally displaced persons; (d) ensuring that the special protection and assistance requirements of children in armed conflict are fully addressed; (e) ensuring that the special protection and assistance requirements of women in armed conflict are fully addressed; (f ) addressing shortcomings in the approach to disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation; (g) addressing the impact of small arms and light weapons on civilians; (h) combatting impunity; (i) developing further measures to promote the responsibility of armed groups and non-State actors; and (j) ensuring the provision of the necessary resources to address the needs of vulnerable populations in “forgotten emergencies.” The scope of assistance to countries that receive and provide support to refugees is also being expanded, including assistance to address any environmental impact of hosting large numbers of refugees.

137.      Guidelines to provide common orientations to the work of UN system country teams have recently been drawn up in a number of areas. These include a Guidance Note on Durable Solutions for Displaced Persons for use by UN Country Teams, prepared by an inter-agency working group led by UNDP and UNHCR. The Note focuses on approaches to the elaboration of development programmes for displaced persons and their host communities, within the framework of the MDGs.

138.      A task force of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee on HIV Interventions in Emergency Settings has similarly developed guidelines to improve the protection and care of people suffering from HIV and AIDS in situations of conflict and/or displacement. UNHCR and several other UN system organizations have drawn upon this inter-agency work to develop and implement various forms of interventions appropriate to the circumstances of people suffering from HIV and AIDS.

139.      The Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict has focused on strengthening and expanding the scope of international instruments for child protection. Together with ILO, UNODC, UNHCR, UNDP, UNIFEM, International Organization for Migration and other partners, UNICEF is working to prevent child trafficking, particularly in conflict situations, by advocating adherence to such legal instruments as the Palermo Protocol to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, and the ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour.

140.      Along with poverty, the AIDS pandemic and other social factors, armed conflicts have contributed to a growing number of children being orphaned or otherwise separated from their families, making them particularly vulnerable. Various organizations of the UN system are helping to enhance their protection by strengthening health care systems, providing affordable supplies and drugs and encouraging local communities and social welfare systems to ensure that caregivers receive the support they need and that access of these children to education improves.

141.      Effective responses to sexual and gender-based violence are being incorporated in all aspects of peace-keeping operations, including improved physical protection, monitoring and reporting. Personnel-contributing countries are being urged to ensure that all mission personnel have training, prior to deployment, on the rights and specific protection needs of women and children. Increased donor support is being mobilized for programmes focused on the rights of women and girls, particularly those related to sexual violence and to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

142.      The United Nations has launched a renewed, vigorous effort to prevent, investigate and address allegations of sexual misconduct by its personnel and peacekeepers. No fraternization rules and imposition of curfew for military contingents have been tightened and are being strictly enforced. “A comprehensive strategy to eliminate future sexual exploitation and abuse in United Nations peacekeeping operations,” which contains a number of concrete recommendations to deepen the reform processes underway in this respect, has recently been finalized for consideration by the General Assembly (A/59/710); and it has been reviewed, in the first instance, in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations. The recommendations cover: the standardization of rules against sexual exploitation and abuse for all categories of peacekeeping personnel; the provision of a professional investigative capacity for peacekeeping operations; organizational, managerial and command measures to address sexual e