Thirdly, with regard to delivering on critical roles, the protection of civil...

Thirdly, with regard to delivering on critical roles, the protection of civilians has increasingly become a yardstick for measuring the success of peacekeeping operations. In the context of the protection of civilians, children in armed conflict deserve our special attention. They are the most vulnerable members of societies, both as victims and as coerced participants in conflicts. Special protection from violence, including sexual violence, and for schools and hospitals is necessary, as stated in the recently adopted resolution 1998 (2011), as are specific approaches in the field of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.