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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Child Rights Bridging Papers – 2° edition

Destination Unknown, Draft version for inputs at the Civil Society Days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, 01 Dec 2016

These series of 6 papers are the second edition of the child rights bridging papers for the Civil Society Days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (Dhaka, Bangladesh, 8 to 10 December 2016).

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Rights of migrant women: A child rights perspective

Destination Unknown, Draft version for inputs at the Civil Society Days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development, 01 Dec 2016

This paper is the fourth of the second edition of the child rights bridging papers for the Civil Society Days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (Dhaka, Bangladesh, 8 to 10 December 2016). It examines specificities affecting children on the nove and other children affected by migration related to migrants stranded in distress.

Leave no one behind: the first year of the SDGs for children on the move and other children affected by migration.

Destination Unknown for inputs at the Civil Society Days of the GFMD, 01 Dec 2016

This paper is the first of the second edition of the child rights bridging papers for the Civil Society Days of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (Dhaka, Bangladesh, 8 to 10 December 2016).

Combatting dependency and promoting child protection in Rwanda

Saeed Rahman, Simran Chaudhri, Lindsay Stark and Mark Canaver -- Forced Migration Review, 01 Oct 2016

According to this article from Forced Migration Review, when the majority of aid comes from external sources, it can cause those who receive the aid to feel powerless.

Information and Communication Technology for Child Protection Case Management in Emergencies: An Overview of the Existing Evidence Base

Nadi N. Kaonga, Hima Batavia, William C. Philbrick, & Patricia N. Mechael - Procedia Engineering, 14 Sep 2016

Organizations working to protect the health and wellbeing of children in emergencies are moving away from traditional paper-based systems towards more sophisticated and innovative digitally-based systems. Formative research was conducted to identify the state of the current evidence base on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) for child protection case management in emergencies (CPCME).

At What Cost? – The Human, Economic and Strategic Cost of Australia’s Asylum Seeker Policies and the Alternatives

Lisa Button and Shane Evans, Save the Children Australia, in consultation with Amy Lamoin, UNICEF Australia, 14 Sep 2016

This report by Save the Children Australia and UNICEF Australia explores the human, economic and strategic cost of Australia’s current policies which seek to deter asylum seekers from migrating to Australia by sea.

We've Now Hit 50 Million Displaced Kids Around the World

Melissa Prax - Newsy, 07 Sep 2016

In this video, Newsy discusses UNICEF's recent report that there are now 50 million displaced children worldwide.

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Youth and Resilience in Postconflict Settings: An Intervention for War-Affected Youth in Sierra Leone

Zuilkowski S.S., Collet K, Jambai M., Akinsulure-Smith A.M., Betancourt T.S., 01 Sep 2016

In Sierra Leone, as in conflict and postconflict settings around the world, youth are coping with their exposure to violence during conflict as well as the poverty and displacement that follow war and the stigma that can persist long after involvement with armed groups has ended.

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Safe Spaces: The Urgent Need for Early Childhood Development in Emergencies and Disasters

Kolleen Bouchane, Molly Curtiss, and Bethany Ellis - Best Start, Theirworld, 01 Sep 2016

This paper from Best Start (a global campaign for Early Childhood Development led by children’s charity Theirworld) emphasizes the need for holistic early childhood development (ECD) programs - Safe Spaces - for young children in emergency situations.