Children Affected by Armed Conflict and Displacement

Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of war, and frequently represent at least half of the population in a conflict area. They suffer fear and insecurity, and disruption to every aspect of their lives. Children who have been displaced are at an increased risk of sexual and physical violence, disease and malnutrition, and separation from family members. As displaced persons or refugees they may experience severe poverty, abuse, exploitation, and psychosocial distress.

Children without parental care in conflict areas are highly vulnerable to abduction or other forms of recruitment by armed forces and groups. Such children may be used to fight, provide labour or be sexually exploited. Involvement in conflict may result in malnutrition, abuse, addiction to drugs, injury, psychosocial distress or death. While children associated with armed forces and groups make up a small minority of the total number of children affected by war, they are extremely vulnerable and in need of particular protection and care.

Opportunities to help children who have been associated with fighting forces may begin with their escape, capture or formal demobilization. Some may be able immediately to reunite with family members, but others may need interim care during tracing. While children may be readily accepted by their family and community, others risk rejection. Family mediation and community sensitization is needed to support family reunification and community integration. Ongoing monitoring, family support services, and placement planning is necessary where children are not reunited with one or both parents or where family and community acceptance is uncertain.

Community action to protect and support war affected children should be inclusive and not limited to children formally associated with armed forces or any one group of children. National efforts should focus on the reestablishment of essential services, particularly in the areas of security, health and education.

While this section contains resources relevant for all children in conflict affected areas, it focuses on children without parental care, including refugees and displaced children, and children associated with armed forces and groups. It includes information on demobilisation, family reunification and community reintegration.

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Traditional Fostering in a Post-Conflict Context: The Case of Laroo-Pece Women’s Association in Northern Uganda

Ronald Luwangula, Janestic M. Twikirize and Justus Twesigye - Social Work Practice in Africa: Indigenous and Innovative Approaches , 2019

This chapter from Social Work Practice in Africa: Indigenous and Innovative Approaches presents a traditional fostering model adopted by a group of women in Northern Uganda, analysing its potential for building resilience and for contributing to social capital and social development within the broad context of post-conflict situations.

LAC Migration and Displacement Hub

Save the Children, 2019

This brief provides an overview of the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and Migration Hub, established by Save the Children in Panama to support migration work in the region.

Alone and Unsafe: Children, migration, and sexual and gender-based violence

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 01 Dec 2018

This study seeks to improve understanding of the risks and types of sexual and gender-based violence faced by children who migrate on their own, as well as the unfortunate and widespread gaps in protection and assistance for these children.

The Effects of Armed Conflict on Children

Ayesha Kadir, Sherry Shenoda, Jeffrey Goldhagen, Shelly Pitterman - American Academy of Pediatrics, 01 Nov 2018

In this Technical Report, the authors review the available knowledge on the effects of armed conflict on children and support the recommendations in the accompanying Policy Statement on children and armed conflict.

Children Come First, Intervento in Frontiera: Dossier VII

Alessio Fasulo - Save the Children Italy, 01 Nov 2018

As part of the "Children Come First: Intervention at the border" project, Save the Children Italy elaborates and disseminates, on a quarterly basis, a dossier containing quantitative and qualitative information (profiles) relating to migrant minors entering Italy. This dossier contains information relating to the period July-October 2018.

Diverse Experience of Immigrant Children: How Do Separation and Reunification Shape Their Development?

Yao Lu, Qian He, Jeanne Brooks‐Gunn - Child Development, 19 Oct 2018

This study sought to answer the question: How do the experiences of separation and reunification shape the well‐being of immigrant children?

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Displaced Rohingya children at high risk for mental health problems: Findings from refugee camps within Bangladesh

Naila Z. Khan, Asma Begum Shilpi, Razia Sultana, Shaoli Sarker, Sultana Razia, Bipasha Roy, Abu Arif, Misbah Uddin Ahmed, Subas Chandra Saha, Helen McConachie - Child: care, health and development, 18 Oct 2018

This study examined the levels of child neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and mental health problems among displaced Rohingya populations into Bangladesh.

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Country Care Review: Mauritania

Better Care Network, 11 Oct 2018

This country care review includes the care related Concluding Observations adopted by the Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of its examination of Mauritania's initial reports, as well as other care-related concluding observations, ratification dates, and links to the Universal Periodic Review.

War Violence Exposure, Reintegration Experiences and Intimate Partner Violence Among a Sample of War-Affected Females in Sierra Leone

Binta Alleyne-Green, Alex Kulick, Sara Matsuzaka, Theresa S. Betancourt - Global Social Welfare, 09 Oct 2018

This study from Global Social Welfare examined the contributions of potentially stigmatizing war violence exposures and more recent post-conflict reintegration experiences to intimate partner violence for girls in Sierra Leone. Overall, this sample reported middling levels of community reintegration, and similar average rates of family reintegration.

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Handbook for Children in Foster Care: Away From Home, and All Alone - Helping Displaced Children Understand Foster Care

SUKA Society, UNHCR Malaysia, 01 Oct 2018

This is a child-friendly summary of a handbook developed specifically to create a Foster Care Programme for unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) within the Rohingya community in Malaysia.