Yesterday, Thursday, 15 August, Mr. Guillaume Landry, Director General of the IBCR, was in New York for a meeting with the Group of Friends of  the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1612* on Children and Armed Conflict, at the invitation of the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations.

*Click here to learn more about Resolution 1612

He was thus able to address 35 participants from some 15 Member States who share a common interest in preventing violence and taking action to better protect children affected by armed conflict.

Together, they reviewed the lessons learned by the Bureau in strengthening the child protection knowledge of civilian, military and police personnel deployed in peace operations. In his intervention, Mr. Landry was able to stress the importance of including child protection at the heart of pre-departure training. Based on its experience in some 30 countries with defence and security forces, the Bureau also emphasised the need to review the framework of such training to bring it more in line with the key competencies required for peace missions, and thus improve their impact.

The United Nations Department of Peace Operations also made a brief presentation.

Guillaume Landry also took advantage of his presence in New York to meet with Ms. Najat Maalla M’Jid, former Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Bureau, recently appointed Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children, and her team, for a working session on children’s rights around the world.