In this briefing note, Watchlist highlights abductions of children in situations of armed conflict and the detention of children allegedly associated with armed forces or groups, through examining the Secretary-General’s annual reports from 2002 to 2014. Published ahead of the June Security Council resolution on children and armed conflict, the note provides recommendations to the United Nations Security Council, including expansion of listing criteria to include abductions, which would be an important step towards enhancing the international community’s ability to protect children and hold perpetrators to account. Lastly, it urges all parties to ensure that children associated with armed groups or forces are treated primarily as victims, whose treatment should focus on maximizing their potential for effective rehabilitation and reintegration into society.