Protecting children not only constitutes an obligation in international law but, even more importantly, a concrete investment in the future of mankind.

Despite the legal protections enshrined in the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the 1977 Additional Protocols, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, along with related international and regional human rights instruments, the persistent violations of these hard-won IHL and IHRL provisions in both international and non-international armed conflicts highlight the urgent need to strengthen the training of military and civilian practitioners whose work affects children’s lives. According to estimates by Save the Children and the PRIO Institute, over 450 million children—one in six—were living in conflict zones in 2023, with the proportion of children exposed to conflict having doubled since the mid-1990s. The 2024 report of the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict further revealed more than 18,000 grave violations against children, including nearly 12,000 victims of recruitment and use, killing and maiming, sexual violence, and abduction.

Based on the above considerations, the Special Projects Department of the Sanremo Institute, in collaboration with the Universities Network for Children in Armed Conflict (UNETCHAC), has developed an international training programme on the protection of children in armed conflict.

Overall objectives

The pilot “Course on IHL and Children in Armed Conflict” will focus on the issues of the application of the existing international provisions protecting children, as well as on the complex interplay of different bodies of law (IHL, IHRL, Refugee Law, etc.) on the field, the prevention strategies of crimes against children, the monitoring and reporting duties of governments and other actors, the issue of accountability against impunity and many other key aspects of the special protection granted to children in conflict scenarios.

Specific learning objectives

• Promote the participants’ overall awareness of the different bodies of law governing child protection at different levels(international, regional, national).
• Promote a deep understanding of the specific international provisions and principles applicable to children in armed conflicts from prohibitions on recruitment, to their protection in hostilities, to that in the event of detention and displacement
• Develop a better understanding of the mechanisms governing the application of international provisions, strengthening compliance and accountability.
• Enhance the participants’ capacity of applying rules, assess risks of possible violations on the field, and develop policies and procedures accordingly.
• Highlight and increase awareness of the operational relevance of integrating age sensitive perspectives into the action implemented on the field, as well as of operating on the basis of a child-centred approach.
• Foster cooperation among the staff of institutions operating at different institutional levels and in different sectors (e.g. civilian and military, public and private, national and international).

Target audience

The course is addressed to governments officials, staff of international intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, law enforcement officers, humanitarians, academics, and any other category of practitioners professionally interested in the topic.
Considering the specialised focus of the course, a certain preliminary overall knowledge of the basics of international public law are preferrable to fully benefit from the training sessions.

Methodology

Within the course, expert practitioners and academics will work together with participants to foster a deep understanding and proper implementation of International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, Refugee and Migration Law, and many other related international rules protecting children in armed conflicts. The Course strikes a balance between theory and practice and is delivered through a participatory and creative teaching methodology, aimed at facilitating the learning process and implementing the knowledge gained throughout the training. Sessions include lectures, presentations, case studies, group work, and other activities such as role play.