Children affected by armed conflict: a review of the United Nations Security Council, International Court and UNICEF's work on children in situations of armed conflict (original) (raw)
Related papers
THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN INVOLVED IN ARMED CONFLICTS
Elite Project Writers, 2020
More than 1 in 10 children worldwide are affected by armed conflict. The effects are both direct and indirect and are associated with immediate and long-term harm. The direct effects of conflict include death, physical and psychological trauma, and displacement. Indirect effects are related to a large number of factors, including inadequate and unsafe living conditions, environmental hazards, caregiver mental health, separation from family, displacement-related health risks, and the destruction of health, public health, education, and economic infrastructure. Children and health workers are targeted by combatants during attacks, and children are recruited or forced to take part in combat in a variety of ways. Armed conflict is both a toxic stress and a significant social determinant of child health. In this Technical Report, we 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 IN ARMED CONFLICT SITUATIONS (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA AND DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
This research critically examines children in armed conflict situations (A case study of Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo). The experience of children during war has been remorseful. Numerous provisions of international humanitarian law establish and develop the principle of special protection for children in time of armed conflict. This research identifies the effect of war on children. It analyses the legal protection available to children in armed conflict with special reference to IHL. Altogether, the research recommends some viable options for the Nigerian and Congolese government, international organizations and other key stakeholders and suggests measures as a way forward.
The twentieth century was stigmatized by the high number of armed conflicts which took place all over the globe; from South Africa to Finland and from Colombia to China the world suffered immensely. The huge number of civilians’ and combatants’ deaths led to a parallel increase in the number of treaties. From the Geneva Conventions of 1864 to the Hague Conference of 1907 and from the Geneva Conventions of 1949 to the Additional Protocols of 1977 the law governing armed conflicts steadily developed. However, the fall of the Berlin wall and the consequences of the 9/11 attacks changed the world order. From the Yugoslavian war to Iraq and from Afghanistan to Syria the acquis of the past were put into question; humanitarian emergencies have become more complex than ever, parties to the conflict do not hesitate to violate the laws of war, humanitarian principles are challenged, access to humanitarian organizations is denied and, the most important, civilians are paying an extremely high death toll. According to several reports, the number of civilians’ victims of armed conflicts, refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (I.D.Ps) and people in need of treatment has rapidly increased. Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Nigeria, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Central African Republic (CAR) are some of the main contemporary humanitarian emergencies were civilians rights, as described in International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights Law and other corpus of law, have been violated. However, one of the most appalling issues is the consequences of war on vulnerable populations and, more specifically, on children. Child recruitment and their use as child soldiers, killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals and denial of humanitarian access are the most important challenges that children have to face and the international community seems unable to react. Keywords; children, protection, child recruitment and use, killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, denial of access, attacks on schools and hospitals, International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Human Rights Law Word count; 34.987
Children in Armed Conflicts: Transcending Legal Responses
Security Dialogue, 2001
The authors of the article attempt to abstract from the partial and focus on the key dimensions in addressing the problems of armed conflicts of the day, namely causes, consequences and the legal context. The unit weight of the most common causes of armed conflicts has been researched and the authors' typology of the causes has been presented. The futility of the search for the primary factor in the «poverty-war» dyad has been proved and, based on statistical data, some laws in the economic development of the countries where armed confrontations have taken place or are still ongoing have been substantiated. The contradictions in the legal dimension of settlement of the armed conflicts that arose as a result of the globalisation of economy and the collapse of the bipolar world system have been analysed.
The Effects of Armed Conflicts on Children, 2023
Armed conflicts continue to inflict profound and long-lasting harm on children across various regions worldwide, with Iraq, Syria, and Yemen standing out as some of the most heavily affected nations. These countries have faced protracted conflicts marked by widespread violence, forced displacement, and severe humanitarian crises. Tragically, children often bear the brunt of these conflicts, suffering unimaginable hardships that irreversibly shape their lives and futures. This book, co-authored by a team of experts, delves into the multidimensional impact of these conflicts on children, offering a critical and comprehensive analysis. The book highlights the unique challenges faced by children in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, presenting a detailed examination of the factors that exacerbate their vulnerability. It aims to underscore the urgent need for coordinated international efforts to protect, support, and rehabilitate affected children, who are among the most innocent and voiceless victims of war. Through this analysis, the book advocates for sustainable solutions to mitigate the consequences of conflict and prioritize the well-being of children in these regions. In these war-torn nations, armed conflict has dismantled communities, destroyed essential infrastructure, and fractured the social fabric. The consequences for children are devastating, ranging from physical injuries and mental health challenges to the loss of educational opportunities and restricted access to healthcare. The book sheds light on these critical issues, emphasizing the compounded effects of these crises on children’s ability to envision and pursue a secure and hopeful future. A significant focus of this book is the recruitment and use of children by armed groups and forces, a harrowing reality in conflict zones. It explores the coercive tactics used to transform children into soldiers, spies, messengers, or human shields, robbing them of their childhood and exposing them to life-threatening dangers. The psychological and physical abuse they endure often leaves deep and enduring scars, perpetuating cycles of violence and suffering. Beyond analysis, the book seeks to inspire action by addressing gaps in legal frameworks, highlighting successful interventions, and proposing practical recommendations to strengthen protection mechanisms for children in conflict zones. By amplifying the voices of those most affected and drawing on international humanitarian and human rights law, this work serves as both a call to action and a resource for policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and scholars dedicated to safeguarding the rights and futures of children amidst armed conflict.
VICTIMISATION OF CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICTS AND THE CHALLENGES FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM WORLDWIDE
Childhood is a period of development that means continuous, intense and fast changes. It is when human resources develop physically and mentally, learning and enhancing knowledge and skills from the surroundings. Due to armed conflicts this vulnerable group is forced to various critical situations like recruitment as soldiers in army, sexual violence against them, abduction etc. Armed conflicts affect each and every aspect of child’s growth and development including physical, mental and emotional in the territories of such outbreaks. Past trends show that, those who are concerned with the situation of the children being affected in the armed conflicts have focused primarily on their physical health; the loss, grief and fear which a child has experienced also need equal consideration. Undoubtedly, we are having multiple laws at the international and national levels. But due to the existence of gaps in implementation, inability or unwillingness on the part of the state, insensitive civil society and civil service all contribute to this inhuman situation. The researchers and others should respond to the need of the children and evoke interest among the others to take initiative in this field and make them sensitive towards the vulnerable and critical mental situation of these young victims of the society. This research paper is to understand the legal guidelines for military operations and civil conflicts with respect to involvement of children in global front. Here an attempt is made to highlight the sufferings and losses to children due to violations of these laws. The paper also tries to throw some light on the areas where the enforcement is lacking and to find out the possible areas of some improvement.
Children and Armed Conflict: The International Response
2011
JOAn B. KROC DIsTInguIshED LECTuRE sERIEs endowed in 2003 by a generous gift to the joan b. kroc institute for peace & justice from the late joan kroc, the Distinguished Lecture series is a forum for high-level national and international leaders and policymakers to share their knowledge and perspectives on issues related to peace and justice. the goal of the series is to deepen understanding of how to prevent and resolve conflict and promote peace with justice. the Distinguished Lecture series offers the community at large an opportunity to engage with leaders who are working to forge new dialogues with parties in conflict and who seek to answer the question of how to create an enduring peace for tomorrow. the series, which is held at the joan b. kroc institute for peace & justice at the university of san Diego's joan b. kroc school of peace studies, examines new developments in the search for effective tools to prevent and resolve conflict while protecting human rights and ensuring social justice.
Protective mechanisms to strengthen the position of children affected by armed conflict
Institutionalised Children Explorations and Beyond, 2015
Palestinian children continue to bear the brunt of the Israeli-Palestine conflict and are denied their basic human rights as a consequence. A total of 1800 civilians have been killed in Gaza since July 8 th , 2014, out of which >300 were children. This conflict of ideology, power and establishment of claim for 'territorial sovereignty' between armed groups weighs heavily on the minds and lives of children. In situations of armed conflict, children are increasingly brought before the justice system, both at international and national levels, either as victims and witnesses or to stand trial as defendants; also the status of 'Refugee children' is not clear in the international law of armed conflict. This has exposed the grey areas in legal and judicial systems where children's participation in armed conflict has been rarely anticipated. This paper articulates that how children who have suffered grave violation during armed conflict can access justice, also how the current system deals with the child victim and witnesses. The paper also explores the issue surrounding responsibility of children who may have committed international crime during conflict, the nature of their accountability and where they should be placed in the spectrum between total impunity and total responsibility, to unravel the same the author proposes 'ratio theory'. This paper discusses the following issues and provides various mechanisms and theories thereof to elucidate the given issues. First, it determines that how a protective legal framework can be provided to affected children, in during post-periods of armed conflict, for which the author provides a framework of quasi-judicial body which would deal with the same on the principles of DDR (disarmament, demobilisation, reintegration). Secondly, it endeavors into the 'legal status' of refugee children during armed conflict for which it provides interconnection of humanitarian law and refugee law via doctrine of 'complementary protection'.