A/HRC/4/45 page 5 4. Much remains to be done to ensure the protection of the rights of children affected by armed conflict. To this end, the Special Representative has put forward a two-year strategic framework (see A/61/275, sect. IV) to strengthen and consolidate the gains made in the past, and to meet the new challenges in the period ahead. The framework sets out four main objectives: supporting global initiatives to end grave violations against children affected by armed conflict; promoting rights-based protection for children in armed conflict; making children affected by armed conflict an integral part of peacekeeping and peacebuilding; and raising awareness about children in armed conflict issues before, during and after conflict situations. In pursuit of these objectives, the Office will engage the following strategies: strict monitoring and reporting of violations; advocating with partners and the general public; mainstreaming the issue in all international efforts; and facilitating research and study in key areas such as international criminal law and the child, the girl child, the needs and concerns of former boy soldiers, and transitional justice. 5. As part of its continued efforts, the Office of the Special Representative, together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners, will undertake a 10-year strategic review of the United Nations study on the impact of armed conflict on children (A/51/306 and Add.1), also known as the Machel Study. In view of United Nations reform and changes in the global policy environment, this review will seek to identify key challenges and priorities, develop comprehensive strategies and frame recommendations for the future of the children and armed conflict agenda. The Office of the Special Representative hopes that the analysis and findings of this review will highlight the strong linkages between the various impacts of conflict on children in order to generate ideas and form the basis for further effective action by the United Nations and all relevant stakeholders to improve the protection of children’s rights in situations of armed conflict. II. ENDING EGREGIOUS VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN IN SITUATIONS OF ARMED CONFLICT A. Monitoring and reporting for compliance 6. The adoption of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) requesting the implementation of the comprehensive monitoring and reporting mechanism for grave violations against children affected by armed conflict was a groundbreaking development in ensuring accountability and compliance by violating parties. The report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council on children and armed conflict, which was submitted pursuant to this resolution and resolutions 1379 (2001), 1460 (2003) and 1539 (2004), provides information on compliance in ending the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict in violation of applicable international law and other violations committed against children affected by armed conflict, namely killing and maiming; rape and other grave sexual violence; abductions, attacks against schools and hospitals; and denial of humanitarian access to children.1 1 Applicable international law relating to the rights and protection of children in armed conflict include, in particular, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and obligations applicable under the Additional Protocols thereto of 1977; the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 1989, the Optional Protocol thereto on the involvement of children in armed conflict of 2000; amended