Switzerland attaches great importance to the protection of the civilian population, particularly children, in armed conflicts. Because of the increasing number of violent intra-state conflicts, hundreds of thousands of children are today fighting in regular armed forces or in armed groups. Children are particularly exposed to violations of human rights and of iinternational humanitarian law. They are often victims of sexual violence, killings, mutilation and kidnapping. They are denied access to humanitarian support. It is not unusual for schools or hospitals to be targeted. Switzerland is committed to ensuring that children are protected against such acts. It seeks to prevent children from being used as soldiers and it helps former child soldiers to return to civilian life.

The protection of children in armed conflicts is a major challenge for the international community of states and for human rights and humanitarian organisations. In recent years significant progress in this area has been achieved because a legal and political system of protection has been developed:

• In 1997 the General Assembly of the United Nations (UNO) appointed a special representative for children and armed conflicts. He seeks to create international norms and standards and to develop measures for the protection and rehabilitation of children.
• In the year 2000 the UN General Assembly supplemented the agreement on the rights of the child with the facultative protocol on the participation of children in armed conflicts. Switzerland adopted it on 26 July 2002.
• In 2005 the UN Security Council agreed a reporting and control system. This prepares the way for effective measures to be taken against the recruitment of children and against persons abusing the rights of children in armed conflicts.
• The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court defines the recruitment of children under 15 years of age and their active service in combat in international or internal state conflicts as a war crime.
• In 2009 the UN Security Council decided that not only the recruitment of children but the use of seuxial violence, the killing and mutiliation of children would be monitored by the UN reporting and control system.

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has for many years supported the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, which advocates the better protection of children. It also supports the Watchlist organisation, which ensures reporting on the effects on children of armed conflicts.

On the international scene, Switzerland advocates the improvement of legal instruments and politically supports the mandate of the special representative for children and armed conflicts.