On Wednesday 19 April, Gordon Brown, UN Special Envoy for Global Education, unveiled at the UN the launch of an international inquiry - the Inquiry on Protecting Children in Conflict. Building on the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, the Inquiry will consider the adequacy and effectiveness of existing laws and enforcement mechanisms – and consider whether there are new laws or procedures that may enhance the protection of children. The final report will be published and submitted to UN Secretary-General António Guterres in December 2017.
The Inquiry, which is supported by Save the Children UK and Theirworld, comprises two groups:
- A legal panel, led by Shaheed Fatima QC of Blackstone Chambers, London, bringing together lawyers with a broad range of expertise, which will consider the adequacy and effectiveness of existing laws and enforcement mechanisms and possible reforms aimed at enhancing the protection of children; and
- An advisory panel of globally influential policy-makers, thinkers and activists which will receive the report of the legal panel and consider its recommendations.
The new Inquiry...will consider what may be done to strengthen the current framework for the protection of children and to hold the perpetrators of atrocities to accountGordon Brown
The Faculty is pleased to report that the legal panel includes several Cambridge alumni, current and future faculty: Sean Aughey, Dr Rachel Barnes and Hanif Mussa (as panellists); Tim Otty QC and Professor Harold Koh, incoming Goodhart Professor, (as consultants); and Dr Federica Paddeu, John Tiley Fellow in Law at Queens’ College (as lead researcher).
Gordon Brown, who will act as Chair of the Inquiry, said:
"The new Inquiry on Protecting Children in Conflict will consider what may be done to strengthen the current framework for the protection of children and to hold the perpetrators of atrocities to account. Only when international law is robust enough – substantively and procedurally – to secure accountability for children’s rights, will we have done all in our power to ensure that no child of God will ever again suffer the horrors of Syria."
Further information on the Inquiry can be found in the following websites: