A/HRC/4/45 page 2 Summary The present report, submitted in accordance with General Assembly resolution 51/77 and Human Rights Council decision 2/102, highlights the significant advances made in the efforts of the international community to ensure tangible protection for children affected by armed conflict and outlines strategies that will be undertaken to ensure the institution of an “era of application” of international child protection standards and norms since the adoption of Security Council resolution 1612 (2005) on 26 July 2005. The report also recognizes that the creation of the Human Rights Council places human rights on an equal footing with security and economic development, and that the Council will hence serve as an important component of and a critical partner in efforts to ensure the application and enforcement on the ground of international norms and standards to protect children’s rights and to end impunity for violating parties. The report recognizes that, despite the progress that has been made, the Office of the Special Representative continues to receive reports of grave violations being committed against children by parties in several situations of armed conflict and, therefore, that 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 to strengthen and consolidate the gains made in the past and to meet the new challenges in the period ahead. The report concludes that the United Nations human rights system must continue to play a crucial role and actively support the protection of the rights of war-affected children on the ground. The Special Representative recommends that the Human Rights Council support the monitoring and reporting mechanism for children and armed conflict in all situations of concern, and that it recognize and make an integral part of the agenda of its future sessions the five categories of grave violations against children other than child soldiering.