Source description last updated: 29 May 2026

In brief: Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict is a New York-based global network that aims to end violations against children in armed conflicts and to safeguard their rights.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Field Monitor report series and other country-specific reports

Covered monthly on ecoi.net, for countries of priorities A-C.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

“Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict strives to end violations against children in armed conflicts and to guarantee their rights. As a global network, the Watchlist builds partnerships among local, national, and international nongovernmental organizations, enhancing mutual capacities and strengths. Working together, we collect and disseminate information on violations against children in conflicts in order to influence key decision-makers to create and implement programs and policies that effectively protect children. […]

Watchlist was formed in 2001 by a group of leading human rights and humanitarian organizations in response to the need for improved monitoring and reporting on violations against children in war. Watchlist is known for its work on children and human rights, boasting – through its members – both a solid expertise on child protection and a wealth of information and experiences coming directly from the ground.

Watchlist’s is programmatic content set by an Advisory Board composed of five international NGOs. Its network further includes six Associate Member organizations who share our commitment to protect the security and rights of children affected by armed conflict.” (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict website: About, undated)

Watchlist’s has three main programme areas: advocacy, support of civil society partners and research (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict website: About, undated).

Since the publication of its first report on Afghanistan in 2001, Watchlist has produced over 25 reports detailing the situation of children in conflict-affected countries.

The purpose of these reports is not only to shed light on grave violations against children in armed conflict, but also to draw the attention of policy makers to these children’s needs. Watchlist’s Field Monitors and in-depth policy notes provide targeted recommendations to key actors and constitute the basis for further advocacy and action. (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict website: Reporting, undated)

In 2017 and 2018, Watchlist published a series of reports (“Field Monitors”) thematically focused on attacks on hospitals and health care and the impact of these attacks on children in situations of armed conflict.  (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict website: Attacks on Health Care, undated; see also: Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Everyone and Everything Is a Target, April 2018; Save the Children/Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Every Day Things are Getting Worse, April 2017; Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: “Every Clinic is Now on the Frontline” The Impact on Children of Attacks on Health Care in Afghanistan, March 2017).

Funding:Watchlist is a fiscally sponsored project of United Charitable, a US-based 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict website: About, undated)

In 2022, Watchlist received funding from “Governments of Australia, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, as well as sub-grants from Save the Children Norway and Save the Children Sweden” as well as “individual donors.” (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: 2022 Annual Report, undated, p. 10).

Watchlist’s total revenues during the year 2022 amounted to USD 215,080.00 (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: 2022 Annual Report, undated, p. 11).

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Colombia, D. R. Congo, Haiti, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen

Thematic focus: issues relating to the impact of armed conflict on children, including: attacks on health facilities and their impact on children, child soldiers, HIV/AIDS, education, gender-based violence

Methodology:

“Field Monitor” reports are based on semi-structured interviews with persons affected by conflict or professionals working in this field (see all reports cited below). These may include “refugees, humanitarian actors, and medical personnel“ (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Everyone and Everything Is a Target; The impact on Children of attacks on health care and denial of humanitarian access in South Sudan, April 2018, p. 10; Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Implementing the Vancouver Principles: Lessons from Ghana, Italy, Pakistan, Senegal, and Uruguay, March 2026, p.7) as well as government health officers, parents of children affected by conflict and the children themselves (Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Every Clinic is Now on the Frontline; The Impact on Children of Attacks on Health Care in Afghanistan, March 2017, p. 8). The reports are based on information obtained from primary sources (e.g. eyewitnesses) as well as secondary sources (persons who have not directly witnessed the reported events but have received information from primary sources). In addition, the drafting of the reports involves a desk review of published documents (see, for example, Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Everyone and Everything Is a Target; The impact on Children of attacks on health care and denial of humanitarian access in South Sudan, April 2018, p. 10; Save the Children/Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Every Day Things are Getting Worse; The impact on children of attacks on health care in Yemen, April 2017, p. 8; Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Every Clinic is Now on the Frontline; The Impact on Children of Attacks on Health Care in Afghanistan, March 2017, p. 8). Sources quoted in these reports are referenced as endnotes (see, for example, Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Everyone and Everything Is a Target; The impact on Children of attacks on health care and denial of humanitarian access in South Sudan, April 2018; Save the Children/Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Every Day Things are Getting Worse; The impact on children of attacks on health care in Yemen, April 2017; Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict: Every Clinic is Now on the Frontline; The Impact on Children of Attacks on Health Care in Afghanistan, March 2017).

Languages of publication:

English and other relevant local languages including French and Arabic

All links accessed 29 May 2026.

Methodological note:

ecoi.net's source descriptions contain background information on an organisation’s mission & objective, funding and reporting methodology, as well as on how we cover the source. The descriptions were prepared after researching publicly accessible information within time constraints. Most information contained in a source description was taken from the source itself. The aim is to provide a brief introduction to the sources covered regularly, offering information on relevant aspects in one place in a systematic manner.