International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

The Graça Machel report drew global attention to the devastating impact of armed conflict on children and led to the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, its Optional Protocol and the mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. Violations perpetrated against children have, in many conflict zones, increased. International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is to protect the 250 million children living in conflict regions from targeting by violent extremists, to promote international humanitarian and human rights law, and to ensure accountability for violations of the rights of children. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a masterplan to secure a better future for children, and includes a specific target (16.2) to end all forms of violence against children, as well as ending the abuse, neglect and exploitation of children in several other violence-related targets.