Since 2005, UNICEF has been working with operational and academic partners to develop epidemiological methods and standards to monitor the grave violations of the rights of children, which UN Resolution 1612 defines as: • Killing or maiming of children; • Recruitment or use of children as soldiers; • Abduction of children; • Rape and other grave sexual abuse of children; • Attacks against schools or hospitals; and • Denial of humanitarian access for children.
As part of this initiative, the Central African Republic was chosen as the first location for UNICEF to execute a nationwide survey covering the first four of these six violations. The survey was conducted in collaboration with Columbia University during June and July 2009.