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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Children Come First, Intervento in Frontiera: Dossier VI

Alessio Fasulo - Save the Children Italy, 01 May 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 first quarter of 2018.

Addressing the health and mental health needs of unaccompanied immigrant youth through an innovative school-based health center model: Successes and challenges

Naomi A. Schapiro, J. Raul Gutierrez, Amy Blackshaw, Jyu-Lin Chen - Children and Youth Services Review, 17 Apr 2018

With the support community and academic partners, a school-based health center administered by a Federally Qualified Health Center developed a plan for outreach, systematic screening and referral to services for newcomer youth.

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Helping the helpers: Post-traumatic distress and need for help among Israeli social workers in foster care agencies following armed conflict

Miriam Schiff PhD, Rachel Dekel PhD, Ohad Gilbar MSW, Rami Benbenishty PhD - Child & Family Social Work, 06 Mar 2018

This study examined the associations between exposure to armed conflict, perceived support, work experience, needing help, and post-traumatic distress among Israeli social workers in foster care agencies based on Conservation of Resources theory.

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Protecting children through village-based Family Support Groups in a post-conflict and refugee setting, Northern Uganda: Case study

Glynis Clacherty, 01 Mar 2018

This case study tells the story of a child protection programme developed by a community-based organisation called Children of the World that works in villages in northern Uganda.

Still on the Streets: Documenting the Situation for Refugees and Displaced People in Paris, France

Alice Lucas, Marta Welander - Refugee Rights Europe, 01 Mar 2018

Introduction:

In the Freezer: Abusive Conditions for Women and Children in US Immigration Holding Cells

Human Rights Watch, 28 Feb 2018

This report examines US authorities’ compliance with the specific protections that should be afforded to children, drawing on 110 interviews with children themselves or women detained with their children.

En la ‘hielera:’ Condiciones abusivas para las mujeres y los niños en las celdas de detención migratoria en Estados Unidos

Human Rights Watch, 28 Feb 2018

Este informe examina el cumplimiento por parte de las autoridades estadounidenses de las protecciones específicas que deben otorgarse a los niños, basándose en 110 entrevistas a niños y mujeres detenidas con sus hijos.

Communities of belonging in the temporariness of the Danish Asylum System: Shalini’s anchoring points

Andrea Verdasco - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies , 27 Feb 2018

Through the case of a young Sri Lankan woman who arrived in Denmark as an ‘unaccompanied asylum-seeking minor’ and spent five years within the Danish asylum system, this article explores how she experienced moving through different legal categories and the institutional settings associated with them.

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Foster care, recognition and transitions to adulthood for unaccompanied asylum seeking young people in England and Ireland

Ala Sirriyeh, Muireann Ni Raghallaigh - Children and Youth Services Review, 24 Feb 2018

This paper presents findings from two studies, in England (2012) and Ireland (2013), which explored experiences of unaccompanied refugee minors (URM) in foster care.

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Childhood Interrupted: Children's Voices from the Rohingya Refugee Crisis

Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision International, 24 Feb 2018

This report presents the results of a consultation - organised by Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision International - which surveyed children in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh from refugee communities (who identify themselves as Rohingya) and children from host communities.