Olara A. Otunnu
Former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (1998-2005)
Mr. Otunnu held the position of UN Assistant Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict from 1998 to 2005. In this capacity, he led the international campaign to mobilize the action of the international community in favor of children affected by war, as a moral authority advocating for these children, and he encouraged measures to protect them during times of war and to facilitate their social reintegration after conflicts. He was behind several major innovations, including: putting the protection of children on the agenda of the UN Security Council; a comprehensive set of protection standards and principles; and the inclusion in the Rome Statute of war crimes targeting children as victims. And as an Adviser for Child Protection: the “list of shame”; the International Mechanism for Monitoring and Reporting; and the “Campaign for Application”. He was the architect of the regime aimed at ensuring the protection of children and sanctioning violations of their rights adopted by the Security Council in its famous resolution 1612 (2005). This regime officially establishes a comprehensive international system for monitoring and reporting serious violations committed against children, with the goal of identifying the parties responsible for these violations and publicly listing their names to hold them accountable, as well as ensuring “respect on the ground” for international legal standards. As part of his mandate, Mr. Otunnu conducted visits to several countries still affected by conflict or in the process of recovery.
*Ms. Karin Sham Poo served as Interim Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict in the fall of 2005 and presented the report of the SRSG Office for Children and Armed Conflict to the General Assembly.
