414 Revista del Instituto Español de Estudios Estratégicos Núm. 2 / 2013 post-conflict recovery and reconstruction planning, programmes and strategies The Security Council highlights with interest the adoption of a directive on child protection policy by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which should serve as a guide for the systematic incorporation of this issue into peacekeeping missions. Resolution 1998 (2011) underlines “the need for alleged perpetrators of crimes against children in situations of armed conflict to be brought to justice through national justice systems and, where applicable, international justice mechanisms and mixed criminal courts and tribunals in order to end impunity”. It also pays special interest to measures to tackle attacks as well as threats of attacks against schools and/or hospitals, and protected persons in relation to them (teachers, health personnel) that have led, in some cases, to the closure of schools and hospitals. Included in the tasks mandated to the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict and to the Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, is that of considering a broad range of options for increasing pressure on persistent perpetrators of violations and abuses. Resolution 2068 (2012) assumes and reiterates the general principles that, following on from 1261 and subsequent resolutions, have been shaping the integral framework for the protection of children in armed conflicts. 4.2 Implementation in the Spanish Armed Forces Just as the adoption of the gender perspective in peacekeeping operations has led to a series of actions being undertaken by participating armed forces, so has the implementation of the United Nations resolutions had repercussions for personnel, preparation and military operative procedures. The analysis that we presented in the previous section shows a series of duties which directly affect the armed forces – whether as primary actors or when working in cooperation with other local actors or the International Community. In order for the measures for the protection of children in armed conflict situations to be truly effective, there must, as a prerequisite, be provision for quality training and education of the participating personnel at all hierarchy levels. In the same way as was done for the protection of women, this preparatory work should be developed in the general syllabuses, in specialisation courses, in the preparatory stages before deployment of units, and in field operations. We consider the training of military personnel as child protection advisers to be a priority. This role is mentioned in all of the resolutions and we are now going to try and define its profile. Child protection advisers are specialised personnel sent to missions to help in the fulfilment of United Nations mandates. All members of peacekeeping operations should carry out a role in the protection of children from the effects of war. Mili-
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