A/HRC/28/54 VII. Rape and other forms of sexual violence committed against children during armed conflict 35. Sexual violence continues to be a prominent violation of children’s rights in most situations of conflict, affecting both girls and boys dramatically. Rape and other forms of sexual violence are committed in the context of attacks against the civilian population and children are usually targeted due to their vulnerability and frequently because of their ethnicity. Violations are also committed in the context of recruitment and use of children g and abductions. Girls are particularly vulnerable to abduction or recruitment by armed groups to be used for sexual purposes. Parties to conflict use sexual violence against children as a tactic to instil fear so as to assert control over people and land. It is also an increasing trend used by extremist groups to terrorize populations. For example, Boko Haram has been abducting girls from schools, and reports indicate that those girls have been forcibly married to local commanders. 36. Access to justice by survivors of sexual violence remains a challenge in most conflict situations, with social stigma and fear of reprisal being contributing factors. The challenge of accessing justice in areas where instability prevails and State authority is weak or absent is an additional constraint. Inappropriate legislation or administrative obstacles also exist. In some cases, criminal codes do not have a definition of the rape, which may lead to inconsistent application of the law by the police and judicial authorities. In other cases, corruption — for example, the false requirement to present costly medical certificates — may prevent victims from filing complaints. Another major impediment to accessing justice is the often inadequate compensation provided to survivors, as well as lengthy and costly procedures before the courts, which may lead a victim’s family to reach an amicable settlement with the perpetrators, rather than bring the case to justice. 37. As part of global efforts to address sexual violence against children, the Special Representative participated in the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, held in London, in June 2014, and was the keynote speaker for the session dedicated to the vulnerabilities of children to sexual violence in armed conflict. Her Office also contributed to the Secretary-General’s guidance note on reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence,2 which was jointly coordinated by OHCHR and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). The inclusion of special guarantees for non-repetition in the design and implementation of State policy, as well as the establishment of legal and institutional frameworks to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish crimes of sexual violence committed against children in situations of conflict, is a positive development. VIII. Partnerships with regional organizations 38. Partnerships with regional organizations have been a priority for the Special Representative to further advance the children and armed conflict agenda and promote regional ownership in the protection of children. 39. In May 2014, the Special Representative gave a briefing at the African Union Peace and Security Council’s first-ever open session dedicated to children affected by armed conflict. The briefing came after the signing of the Declaration of Intent on 17 September 2013, formalizing the collaboration between the Office of the Special Representative and 2 “Guidance note of the Secretary-General: Reparations for conflict-related sexual violence”, launched in August 2014. 11