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Watchlist Launch

c/o Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children 122 East 42nd Street, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10168

For Immediate Release. Contact: Diana Quick (212) 551-3087

Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict Works to Close Gap in Monitoring and Reporting on Children; Will be launched during a UN Panel on Protecting Children during Armed Conflict

New York, NY, April 29, 2002— On May 9th, the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict will be launched in conjunction with a UN panel on protecting children during conflict.

The Watchlist is a new monitoring and reporting mechanism that compiles information on violations of children's rights and security in armed conflict settings. Watchlist country reports are resource tools providing up-to-date country information related to children. They inform the UN Security Council, UN and international agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), journalists and others.

The Watchlist is an NGO initiative that culls information from a variety of international and local agencies working within a specific conflict area. It aims to strengthen this network of groups working to protect children and to transform international commitments to protect children into reality.

"We hope that this new reporting mechanism will encourage local child protection networks and lead to long-term improvements in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other instruments," said Kathy Vandergrift, co-chair of the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict. "The goal is to transform generic promises by the UN Security Council and others into specific commitments to protect children in specific situations."

In each country report, the Watchlist pulls together data on children's health, landmines, small arms, education, trafficking, exploitation and child soldiers, among other topics. This information is then used to inform decision-makers.

To date, the Watchlist has profiled Afghanistan, Angola and Burundi. Reports on West Bank/Gaza Strip and Israel, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo are in development.

"The Watchlist aims to link local community groups involved in child protection with international networks to provide consistent and persistent follow-up on actions taken to protect the rights of children," said Mary Diaz, co-chair of the Watchlist.

The Watchlist will be launched in conjunction with a United Nation's Special Session on Children panel on protecting children in conflict settings. "Protecting Boys and Girls During Armed Conflict," [working title] which is scheduled from 4:30 to 6pm, on May 9th.

Panelists include:
Olara Otunnu, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF
Graça Machel, prominent advocate for war-affected children
Carlinda Monteiro, Christian Children's Fund- Angola and a representative of the Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict
Arvind Ganesan, Director of the Business and Human Rights Program at Human Rights Watch
Akello Betty Open, youth advocate from Uganda

Watchlist Experts available for comment:
Mary Diaz, Co-chair of the Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict
Kathy Vandergrift, Co-chair of the Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict
Julia Freedson, Coordinator of the Watchlist on Children in Armed Conflict

To facilitate interviews or for more information please contact Diana Quick at 212-551-3087.

The Watchlist steering committee includes CARE International, Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, International Save the Children Alliance, Norwegian Refugee Council, Women's Commission on Refugee Women and Children and World Vision International.

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