Every day a child remains with an armed force or group, he or she is at risk of physical, psychological and sexual violence, and even death. Prevention of recruitment; separating children from armed forces and groups; responding to their needs; and supporting the reintegration process are all life-saving interventions. Actions to address the needs of Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups (CAAFAG) must continue in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and in coordination with associated response measures.
In addition to the unique dynamics of each conflict context, the wide-ranging socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 and restrictive, or at times repressive, containment measures may have destabilizing effects on conflict-affected countries. This may lead to rapid or unexpected changes to conflict dynamics. Child protection actors should routinely monitor and analyze issues and the risks they may pose
This document highlights issues relating to prevention and response programming for Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups (CAAFAG) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This document is an Annex to the Technical Note: Protection of Children during the Coronavirus Pandemic and will be revised on an ongoing basis to reflect: (1) new information about the impact of COVID-19 on CAAFAG programming and (2) requests for technical support and guidance.
