Alarming Numbers from Central Africa
As we begin the new year, we take notice of fresh reports coming out of the Central African Republic (CAR) on the increase of child soldiers being recruited into the armed conflict during the last calendar year.
Both this story from the Reuters Foundation and this one from Humanosphere, tell the concern of the year-long conflict in CAR and the effects to children in general:
[quote]Children as young as eight are forced to fight, carry supplies, and perform other frontline and support roles. They often suffer physical and mental abuse by militants, and some have been ordered to kill. Having witnessed or committed killings and other violent crimes, children associated with armed groups are highly likely to suffer fear, anxiety, depression, grief, and insecurity, and many require specialized psychological support."[/quote]
- Save the Children
Estimates of between 6 to 10 thousand children have been drawn into the conflict as armed soldiers, but the impact to children in general (those left homeless, faced with disruption to their schooling and in need of emergency assistance) is estimated at an astounding 2 - 3 million.
Sourced for the Reuters story was a representative from Save the Children, Julie Bodin. Bodin is uniquely positioned to comment on the situation in CAR, as she is the child protection manager working directly with those being impacted by the fighting and violence in the country.
We couldn't be more in agreement with Bodin in the "need for long term goals of supporting children once they have been released from armed groups to stop them from rejoining. Extreme poverty, lack of education and jobs all create a huge reservoir of potential new recruits." Our own project work in northern Africa, especially in developing the National Platform for Child Soldier Reintegration and Prevention in Africa, is based on the same longer-term goals of how best to reintroduce former combatants into civil society to give them opportunities that become more attractive than rejoining the fight as armed soldiers. Whether in Uganda, or in the Central African Republic, or in Colombia, where we continue to address the same issues, the assistance needed to reverse the numbers of child soldiers is universal.
[quote]It is important to support youth and children to pass from a culture of war and conflict to a culture of peace. Child-friendly spaces and youth networks are urgently needed to rebuild these children's lives, as well as institutions, such as schools, which will help them thrive."[/quote]
- Julie Bodin of Save the Children
2007 Goldin Institute Event
Reintegration & Prevention: Breaking the Cycle of Violence for Ex-Combatants and Vulnerable Children and Youth
The use of child soldiers and young combatants in armed insurgencies, militias and resistance movements is a staggering and growing problem in regions as diverse as The DR Congo, Sri Lanka and Colombia. Well over 300,000 young people under the age of 18 are currently fighting in wars or have recently been demobilized. At the same time, the number of children emerging from these traumatic circumstances has dramatically increased.
How can our communities help young combatants leave the fighting? How can former child soldiers receive the services and support they need to reintegrate into society? What are the roles and responsibilities of different sectors – education, business, government, religious communities, NGO's and others -- in providing these services? How can we work together to make sure our society is ready to welcome home these former combatants? How can we work together at home and around the world to break this cycle of violence and prevent the exploitation of young people by armed groups and militias?
To explore and answer these questions, the Goldin Institute partnered with the Centro Mundial de Investigacion y Capacitacion para la Solucion de Conflictos (Centro Mundial) to convene a global forum on the theme of Reintegration & Prevention: Breaking the Cycle of Violence for Ex-Combatants and Vulnerable Children and Youth. This unique gathering brought together teams of engaged leaders struggling to address these issues from over twenty cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, DR Congo, El Salvador, Haiti, Israel, Kenya, Liberia, the Philippines, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and the United States.
Click to read the full report.
Reconstructing Haiti: Presentation by Malya Villard
We are pleased to share this broadcast of Malya Villard-Appolon's lecture in Chicago on April 22, 2014 at Loyola University. In this public lecture, Malya spoke about her advocacy work from the courtrooms and IDP camps in Haiti to venues around the world including the UN Commission on Human Rights, the U.S. State Department and the IAHRC. Malya was awarded the 2012 CNN Hero of the Year for her work as co-founder of KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims).
KOFAVIV is a Haitian grassroots organization that provides social and legal support in an effort to combat sexual violence against women and girls. Based on our partnership with KOFAVIV to fight gender-based violence in Port au Prince after the earthquake, we know first-hand the power and effectiveness of Malya and her team in Haiti.