I just finished reading the Children and Armed Conflict report by the United Nations which was submitted in December 2007. I wanted to make some of the material available on my blog so people who are interested can gain a little understanding of the situation of many children living in conflict. Below are some examples that were included in the report, though there are many in the 45 page report. I ask that you learn just a little about these vulnerable children:
The reporting period is July 2006 to July 2007
Afghanistan: 295 mine and unexploded ordnance accidents involving children, which account for over 60 percent of the total number of accidents, resulted in at least 59 deaths.
There were at least 133 incidents of school attacks, particularly on girls’ schools as racialists are against girl child education.
Burundi: Rape and other sexual violence against children by members of the FNL and some members of the Security Services is of great concern. More than 30 such cases were reported during the period, 80 percent of which involved girls. On 6 January 2007, a 4-year old girl was raped by an FDN soldier in Mugongomana.
Central African Republic: A UNICEF mission in June 2007 confirmed that there were approximately 400 to 500 children, including girls, associated with the rebel groups in the country.
According to UNICEF, 15 percent of women and girls in the northern region of the country have been raped.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 10,831 survivors of sexual violence, 37 percent of whom are children, were identified by UN partners in the eastern region of the country; a 4 percent increase since the previous reporting period. In a one year period until June 2007, at least 1,400 children victims of rape and other violence were registered and received assistance from the UN and its partners in South Kivu alone, where the main perpetrators include elements of FARDC, the policy and armed elements of FDLR.
Haiti: There were approximately 119 cases of child abductions
According to a UN partner, approximately 100 cases of child rape were registered during the reporting period. Among these, a 3 year old girl was raped by armed men from Cite Soleil.
During the same period, it was reported that 54 children, 10 of whom were victims of gang rapes, were raped by members of armed and criminal entities.
Iraq: UNICEF estimates that at least 30 percent of Iraqi children are not currently attending school
18 June 2007, insurgent gunmen entered a secondary school in Saydiyah, where boys were taking their exams. Approximately 30 students, aged between 17 and 19 years were abducted.
Somalia: The Union of Isalmic Courts publicly declared its intention to recruit from schools, and appointed Sheikh Fu’aad Mohamed Khalaf to be in charge of training the students. An intensive recruitment campaign of boys and girls under age 18 occurred.
In Mogadishu, precise numbers of casualties among children are difficult to verify owing to insecurity and the lack of access, but estimates from UN partners indicate that in Mogadishu alone, there have been over 1,200 deaths, of which approximately 35 percent are children.
Sudan: Rape continues to be widespread in Darfur, and is used as a method of warfare, with an increasing trend to specifically target younger girls.
Chad: In 2007, 107 child victims of landmines and unexploded ordinances were documented, of whom 22 were killed and 85 injured.
During the first three months of 2007, 139 cases of sexual and gender-based violence were reported in the 12 refugee camps in the eastern region (bordering Darfur).
Uganda: To date, there are still no signs of the release of 1,128 children reported to have been mobilized into the local defense units in late 2004 in Kitgum, Pader, and parts of Teso region.
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