A/HRC/31/19 Accountability for child recruitment is essential for building lasting change and protecting children. 37. The Special Representative notes that the majority of armed groups listed in the annexes to the annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (A/69/926-S/2015/409) for the recruitment and use of children are active in the countries covered by the “Children, Not Soldiers” campaign. The campaign’s momentum has led to the development of stronger child protection legal frameworks in most of those countries, which also open new avenues of engagement to respond to and prevent violations by nonState armed groups. The Special Representative is encouraged by the new possibilities and openness to engage in dialogue with non-State armed groups to protect children from grave violations. Strengthening that dialogue is a priority. B. Non-State armed groups 38. The Special Representative has consistently sought to engage with all parties to conflict, including non-State armed groups, which continue to constitute the majority of parties (49 of 57) listed for grave violations against children in the most recent annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict. It is critical that any efforts to advance the children and armed conflict agenda seek to engage with this diverse group of actors. To that end, a multifaceted approach is necessary, and the different operational environments and the nature of groups need to be taken into consideration. 39. Gaining access to and engaging in a dialogue with non-State armed groups is often complicated, which limits the possibilities to address violations and protect affected children. It is crucial to interact with those who are willing to engage on the issue of child protection and to influence them to fulfil their obligations under international law. The Special Representative urges the Governments concerned to facilitate cooperation between the United Nations and non-State armed groups, in accordance with the principle that it does not prejudge their legal status, in order to achieve the common goal of protecting the best interests of children. 40. Peace and ceasefire negotiations represent unique opportunities to reach out to parties to conflict to advocate for the protection of children. Children, who often form a large proportion of populations in conflict situations, bear the brunt of conflict; the early consideration of their protection needs in discussions and negotiations is therefore important. Engagement with parties to conflict on issues such as the separation, release and handover of children can provide an entry point in discussions and offer a unique common denominator for parties in otherwise difficult or protracted negotiations. Many Member States acknowledged those aspects during an open debate of the Security Council on the theme of protecting children from non-State armed groups in March 2015. Recommendations made during the debate were for a more systematic inclusion of child protection provisions in all peace and ceasefire agreements, including those relating to the unconditional release and reintegration of children. The recommendations were compiled in a non-paper by France.3 Some Member States also requested that a guidance note for mediators and special envoys be developed, which the Office of the Special Representative stands ready to support. 41. In that spirit, in May 2015, upon the invitation of the Government of Colombia and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia — Ejército del Pueblo (FARC — EP), 3 Letter dated 21 May 2015 from the Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/69/918-S/2015/372, annex). 11