Children in Armed Conflict

This Guide provides best practice measures for engaging girls formerly associated with armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who are often under-represented in disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programs. Based on workshops conducted with child protection officials, UN agencies, government agents, and NGOs, it proposes interventions to respond to girl soldiers' specific needs and experiences. This guide focuses on solutions which are inexpensive and community based, making them applicable in various contexts. Originally published in French, the first version can be accessed at: https://www.child-soldiers.org/shop/rsum-du-guide-pratique-pour-promouvoir-lacceptation-communautaire

This is a policy brief that outlines how to apply structural prevention of atrocity crimes, particularly at the national and local level. The recommendations intend to assist actors to reduce the occurrence of risk factors of atrocities and increase societal resilience. Particular to addressing serious violations against children in armed conflict, this brief includes rule of law, accountability, and commitment to guarantees of non-recurrence of violations as key to prevention and resilience. Also recommended is reforming legal and judicial systems for greater accountability and ensuring the legal empowerment of marginalized communities.

Through international case studies and analysis of different methods, this paper examines the range of measures that may help societies to achieve accountability and reconciliation, and explores the challenges faced in this field. Successful accountability measures draw on a critical understanding of experience from elsewhere, carefully adapted to the social, political and cultural context and questions of feasibility. This Handbook includes recommendations on making provisions for accountability and reconciliation in peace negotiations and methods for accountability and reconciliation, with case studies from Northern Ireland, Cambodia, and Rwanda.

This Framework is a practical resource that promotes accountability for serious violations of international law committed against children in armed conflict (CAC). It responds to the significant gap that exists in preventing and remedying these serious violations - and is designed to assist policymakers and practitioners working at all levels to bridge this gap. It provides individuals and organizations working in child protection, justice, peacebuilding, and related fields with a comprehensive definition and structure for understanding CAC accountability and practical guidance for developing well-informed, context-specific, and feasible options for advancing CAC accountability.

This resource is the Spanish version of the "Children in Armed Conflict Accountability Framework." El Marco de Rendición de Cuentas frente a los niños, las niñas y los jóvenes afectados por los conflictos armados es un recurso práctico que promueve mecanismos para abordar casos de violaciones graves derecho internacional cometidas contra los niños, las niñas y los jóvenes en situaciones de conflicto armado (rendición de cuentas sobre NNJ). Elaborado como respuesta al importante vacío existente en materia de prevención y reparación de este tipo de violaciones, este Marco aporta los siguientes elementos: 1. una definición completa y estructura para entender la cuestión de la rendición de cuentas sobre NNJ; 2. orientaciones metodológicas prácticas que pueden ser adaptadas y aplicadas en diferentes contextos con el objeto de aumentar las acciones de rendición de cuentas sobre NNJ.

This resource is intended to provide training to armed non-state groups and civil society organizations on humanitarian standards and the relevant international legal framework regarding children and armed conflict. In an addition to providing an overview of key international laws and policies, this resource also explains the structure of Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment on Children and Armed Conflict and explores implementation measures to improve child protection.

This resource considers children and youth in the post-conflict peacebuilding phase of restoring justice and security. It discusses national structures and mechanisms, such as hybrid courts, domestic prosecution, and truth commissions, and articulates their relevance to children and young people. This report also explores the role of civil society organizations in building accountability and good governance within the security sector.

This resource explores how transitional justice measures may positively affect former child combatants by reducing social exclusion from their communities. It considers several issues in relation to reintegration of children; such issues include truth-telling, reparations, local justice, and prosecutions.

The resource examines Mercy Corps’ best practices and lessons learned on its youth programming, including general program design and implementation. It also considers specific program areas such as economic engagement, political participation, youth-to-community connections, and youth-to-youth connections.

Arguing that formal education systems play a role in peace building, this resource provides key findings and recommendations as to how children and formal education systems should be involved in peace building. It considers fieldwork from Guatemala, Nepal, and Liberia.

This resource identifies issues related to children who have been associated with armed forces and groups and have then been released and reintegrated into their families or communities. It highlights several important points such as successful reintegration techniques, special consideration for girls, and a child rights approach to reintegration. It also gives consideration to preventing re-recruitment, community-based initiatives, and increasing children’s livelihood and vocational training.

This resource provides best practices and lessons learned in programming for children affected by armed conflict, with a focus on child soldiers. In addition to an overview of the relevant international legal standards regarding the recruitment and use of children, this resource also provides a grid to evaluate proposals or design programs to support former child soldiers. Other tools include a risk probability and impact matrix and checklists on prevention, demobilization, and reintegration.

This resource presents several case studies that highlight the role of adolescent participation in community development and peacebuilding during crisis. This document also summarizes the lessons learned in each context. Case studies include: Colombia, Indonesia, Occupied Palestinian Territory, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Uganda.

Drawing on case studies from Angola and El Salvador, this resource provides examples, techniques and checklists on prevention, demobilization, and reintegration of child soldiers. It considers issues such as family reunification and community-based networks, psychosocial and traditional healing, and education and economic opportunity. It also includes checklists, lessons learned, and the international legal framework.