A/HRC/13/63 page 12 C. Child recruitment and other violations against children 35. In the course of her visit, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for children and armed conflict found that, in the first four months of 2009, 1,617 children had been separated from armed groups during the accelerated integration of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and other armed groups into FARDC in North Kivu.11 The Group of Experts of the Security Council’s Sanctions Committee has verified 2,020 demobilization files of children separated from the armed groups since November 2008 in North and South Kivu.12 36. Although the process of dismantling armed groups and integrating their members represents a unique opportunity to systematically identify and release children, there are grave concerns that many children have passed into the ranks of the newly integrated brigades and that a number of FARDC commanders have blocked the separation of children from their troops.13 There have also been new recruitments of children by integrated FARDC troops. Between January and October 2009, there were reportedly 107 cases of new recruitment by FARDC; an additional 127 cases were attributed to the Coalition of Congolese Patriotic Resistance (PARECO), 29 to FDLR, and 22 to unidentified armed groups.14 In the territories of Masisi, North Kivu, and Kalehe, South Kivu, a considerable number of children within the FARDC ranks was reported, as were instances of re-recruitment of children already reunited with their families in key strategic zones such as Ngungu.15 It is believed that hundreds of children remain in armed groups despite commitments made by many such groups to address this issue. The reintegration of children into their families and communities remains critical for the peace process. 37. In addition to the recruitment of children, FARDC and armed groups continue to be cited for other grave child rights violations, including the direct involvement of children on the front lines, the killing and maiming of children and sexual violence. 38. The regional dimensions of the conflict and cross-border concerns continue to carry significant implications for children, including for the recruitment of children from neighbouring countries and the issue of repatriating foreign children demobilized from fighting groups to their countries of origin.16 D. Situation of human rights defenders 39. The situation of human rights defenders, especially in the eastern part of the country, remains extremely worrying. The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human 11 See the Special Representative’s report, available at: http://www.un.org/children/conflict/_documents/countryvisits/DRCVisitReport.pdf. 12 S/2009/603, para. 317. 13 Ibid., para. 322. 14 Ibid., para. 317. 15 Ibid., para. 317. 16 See footnote 11; see also S/2009/603, para. 318.