A/RES/67/16 60. Stresses the need to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of children in Afghanistan, and recalls the need for the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child 11 and the two Optional Protocols thereto 12 by all States parties, as well as of Security Council resolutions 1612 (2005) of 26 July 2005, 1882 (2009) of 4 August 2009 and 1998 (2011) of 12 July 2011 on children and armed conflict, and takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Afghanistan 13 and the conclusions of the Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict; 14 61. Expresses its concern, in this regard, about the ongoing recruitment and use of children by illegal armed and terrorist groups in Afghanistan as well as the killing and maiming of children as a result of the conflict, stresses the importance of ending the use of children contrary to international law, expresses appreciation for the progress achieved by and the firm commitment of the Government of Afghanistan to the protection of children, including its strong condemnation of any exploitation of children, as indicated by the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Children, the appointment of a focal point on child protection and the signing by the Government, in January 2011, of an action plan, including the annexes thereto, on children associated with national security forces in Afghanistan, welcomes with appreciation the presentation by the Government of its national report on the implementation of the action plan, entailing numerous measures taken within the relevant ministries and institutions for child protection, including to prevent underage recruitment, welcomes progress made in the implementation of the action plan, and calls for the full implementation of the provisions of the action plan, in close cooperation with the Assistance Mission; 62. Recognizes the special needs of girls, strongly condemns continued terrorist attacks as well as threats of attacks on educational facilities, especially on those for Afghan girls, and/or hospitals and protected persons in relation to them in Afghanistan, in contravention of applicable international law, and expresses deep concern about the high number of school closures as a result of terrorist attacks or threats of attacks; 63. Welcomes the adoption by the Government of Afghanistan of the National Plan of Action on Combating Child Trafficking, calls for the comprehensive implementation of the Plan of Action, welcomes initiatives to amend and enforce legislation on human trafficking, guided by the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 15 and stresses the importance of considering becoming a party to the Protocol; _______________ 11 Ibid., vol. 1577, No. 27531. Ibid., vols. 2171 and 2173, No. 27531. 13 See A/66/782-S/2012/261. 14 S/AC.51/2011/3. 15 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2237, No. 39574. 12 14