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.

Displaying 91 - 100 of 516

Browse Other Topics

Abordagem ao Suicídio em Contextos Humanitários

Inter-Agency Standing Committee Reference Group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (IASC MHPSS RG), 22 Dec 2022

Esta nota de orientação visa apoiar os implementadores de programas, coordenadores e outros atores humanitários na abordagem do suicídio e da automutilação em contextos humanitários.

PODCAST: How to Talk to Children About the War - Tips for Parents (In Ukrainian)

EU Neighbour East, 01 Dec 2022

Olena Merzliakova, a psychologist and Ph.D. in Psychology, shared effective and simple tips for parents. She is one of the experts engaged for the EU-funded hotline established this summer by the UNDP.

Learn More

Combination of “Parenting with Tenderness” and “Parenting on the Move” in Migratory Contexts: Successes, challenges, and recommendations

Save the Children Spain, 01 Dec 2022

The objective of this Save the Children Spain document is to gather the key findings of the combination of “Parenting with tenderness” and “Parenting on the move” in migratory contexts. It also seeks to improve the quality of its implementation in the context of Mexican migration, based on good practices and lessons learned.

Mixed Migration Center, 30 Nov 2022

This snapshot produced by Mixed Migration Center examines environmental drivers of international mobility and their interactions with other migration drivers in East and the Horn of Africa. The aim is to provide national and regional policy actors with some empirical data on the links between climate change and international mobility, to inform discussions on future activities and policy directions.

SYMPOSIUM: Child's Right to Identity in Emergency Settings

Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI), Child Identity Protection (CHIP), 22 Nov 2022

The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (ISI), Child Identity Protection (CHIP) and supporting organizations convened a symposium focusing on “The Child’s Right to Identity in Emergency Settings”. The symposium delved deeper into the challenges of protecting and preserving identity rights, including nationality rights, for children on the move and children affected by armed conflict. It examined how children’s identity rights are undermined in emergency settings, the increased risk of statelessness and the need for urgent action on repatriation, reintegration and reunification of children affected by armed conflict.

Protection Risks of Rohingya Refugees in Malaysia

Mixed Migration Centre, 30 Oct 2022

This snapshot documents the experience of Rohingya refugees in Malaysia, shedding light on protection risks that negatively impact their safety and well-being. This snapshot is one of a series that focuses on Rohingya journeys and experiences in Southeast Asia, with the key objective of contributing to building a solid evidence base to inform advocacy and protection programming for Rohingya refugees in the region.

The "Children of War" Platform Launches in Ukraine

Office of the President of Ukraine, 17 Oct 2022

The "Children of War" platform was created on behalf of the Office of the President of Ukraine as a tool for finding children, rescuing them and liberating them from places of forced displacement or deportation.

Visit Platform

КЛЮЧОВІ МІРКУВАННЯ ТА РЕКОМЕНДАЦІЇ: Реагування на виклики у сфері опіки та догляду за дітьми в умовах війни в Україні

The Ukraine Children's Care Group, 03 Oct 2022

МЕТОЮ ЦЬОГО ДОКУМЕНТУ З РЕКОМЕНДАЦІЯМИ є надати певну рамку для підтримки фахівців-практиків і посадовців, відповідальних за вироблення політики у сфері опіки та піклування над дітьми, як в Україні, так і в країнах, які приймають біженців, у рамках заходів реагування, що стосуються опіки та догляду за дітьми в контексті України у відповідності до міжнародних стандартів і належної практики у сфері опіки та піклування та забезпечення альтернативних форм догляду.

Parenting Tips for Challenging Times - Help Children Cope with a Crisis with these Practical Steps

World Without Orphans, 21 Sep 2022

This video and attached parenting tips offer simple and practical recommendations for Ukrainian parents on how to help themselves and their children to overcome various crisis situations.

Parenting Tips for Challenging Times - Help Children Cope with a Crisis with these Practical Steps (Ukrainian)

World Without Orphans, 21 Sep 2022

У цьому відео ми пропонуємо прості і практичні рекомендації про те, як у цей непростий час допомагати собі та своїм дітям долати різні кризові ситуації.