Global Good Practices Study: Monitoring and reporting mechanism (MRM) on grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict

The Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) has offered a unique opportunity for country teams to strategically engage with parties to a conflict to address grave violations against children. The information collected through the MRM has served not only to highlight the impact of conflict on children, but also as a basis for the 20 Action Plans negotiated and signed by parties to a conflict in at least 13 situations thus far, leading to the release of thousands of children from armed forces and armed groups.

With little existing global guidance on how to implement the MRM in its initial stages, the good practices documented in this study are rooted in the testing and learning from the field by MRM Country Task Forces (CTFs) themselves. As time has progressed, a body of practice has emerged that reflects strategic and innovative ways in which CTFs have addressed common challenges, such as sensitive political situations and limited access in conflict zones. This study aims to capture what has worked well at the country level, which could serve for potential replication or inspiration for other MRM teams facing similar challenges or opportunities.

The study has researched and documented good practices using as main selection criteria whether the practices can be linked to positive outcomes that may (directly or indirectly) benefit children in armed conflict situations. The main positive outcomes of the MRM in-country found through the study include:

a) it has been used by country teams as a framework to systematically monitor and report grave violations against children;

b) it has been used by country teams as a platform to engage in constructive dialogue with parties to the conflict to address grave violations; and

c) it has been used as an opportunity to link monitoring to response, thus building accountability for violations into programming.