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The top UN official charged with representing the interests of children caught up in armed conflict, has signed a landmark new agreement on child protection with the Force Commander of a main Syrian opposition military alliance, it was announced on Monday.

The agreement is aimed at ending and preventing the recruitment and use of children under the age of 18.

The force commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), General Mazloum Abdi, signed on behalf of the SDF and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, signed on behalf of the UN during an official ceremony at the Palais des Nations.

Through this Action Plan, the SDF commits to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children, to identify and separate boys and girls currently within its ranks and to put in place preventative, protection and disciplinary measures related to child recruitment and use.

Describing the action plan as “the beginning of a process”, and “an important day”, Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), explained that the signing “demonstrates a significant commitment by the SDF to ensure that no child is recruited and used by any entity operating under its umbrella”.

The Action Plan was the result of months of UN-SDF engagement, in close consultation with the Special Representative.

Commending the work of child protection partners on the ground, Ms. Gamba lamented that the situation of children in Syria remains one of the most dire on her agenda.

The Special Representative highlighted the importance of Actions Plans to engage with parties to conflict, noting that since Security Council resolution 1460 was adopted in 2003, they have been strong tools of the CAAC mandate.

“Actions Plans represent an opportunity for parties to change their attitude and behavior so that grave violations against children stop and are prevented to durably improve the protection of children affected by armed conflict”, Ms. Gamba said Monday.

“I urge all parties listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General annual report, in Syria and elsewhere, to seize the opportunity to engage with the UN and adopt Action Plans,” the Special Representative added.

As the conflict continues in its ninth year, Ms. Gamba encouraged all parties to work towards a political solution, in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2254 of 2015 to bring sustainable peace to the country: the best option to prevent grave violations against children.

(Photo credit: Mohammad Nour Al Abdallah/UNICEF).