A/HRC/40/49 Nations, religious leaders and armed groups resulted in the release of 955 children, including 265 girls, from armed groups in 2018. The releases took place in Yambio (Western Equatoria) and Pibor (Jonglei) in the context of the integration of armed groups into the government security forces. With support from the Government, the United Nations has provided the children with interim care, family tracing, reunification, psychosocial support, education and other services. 28. In the Sudan, the implementation of the action plan to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children by the Sudanese Armed Forces was finalized in 2018, following the completion of three outstanding measures, including the adoption of standard operating procedures on the release and handover of children associated with armed groups, the adoption of a community-based complaint mechanism to report child recruitment and the initiation of an awareness-raising campaign on all grave violations against children. During her visit to the Sudan in February 2018, the Special Representative advocated for the adoption of a national prevention plan to enhance the protection of children. The Government welcomed the idea at the open debate on children and armed conflict held in July 2018. 29. In Yemen, the establishment of protective measures in October 2017 (such as a child protection unit in the headquarters of the coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen) with the support of the Special Representative resulted in a decrease in attacks on schools and hospitals in 2018. The coalition remains listed for the killing and maiming of children and must continue strengthening its efforts to end and prevent child casualties. In that regard, the Special Representative is working with all coalition members to develop a memorandum of understanding for the enhanced protection of children affected by the armed conflict in Yemen. Steps were also taken by the Government of Yemen to put in place command orders on child protection and revitalize the action plan signed in 2014 with the United Nations to end and prevent child recruitment and use by its armed forces. In July 2018, a joint technical committee chaired by the Minister for Human Rights was established and tasked with developing a road map to implement the action plan. The Government is also engaged in developing standard operating procedures on the handover and release of children associated with parties to conflict to civilian child protection actors. The United Nations in Yemen has entered into dialogue with the Houthis in order to develop concrete measures to end and prevent the recruitment and use and killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools and hospitals, the three grave violations for which the group is listed in the annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict for 2017. D. Towards adequate, sustainable and reliably funded reintegration programmes 30. Further progress can be achieved by shedding light on and garnering support for other factors influencing the impact of armed conflict on children, such as reintegration support for children formerly associated with armed forces and groups. In 2017 alone, more than 10,000 children were released from the ranks of parties to conflict in the Central African Republic, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and the Sudan. 31. Providing adequate, sustainable and reliably funded reintegration programmes is essential to ensuring that children recruited and used by parties to conflict benefit from the necessary support to recover their lives and allow them to reintegrate into their communities. As highlighted in the United Nations Youth Strategy, children can become positive agents of change and ensuring that all children affected by conflict can access reintegration programmes for an appropriate amount of time contributes to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. As specified in Security Council resolution 2427 (2018) and the principles relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights (Paris Principles), reintegration programmes must be long-term and sustainable, gender- and age-sensitive, and provide children with access to health care, to psychosocial support and to education. Reintegration support must also be understood as 9