Several wars and conflicts carried out on African soil have been affecting hundreds and thousands of African children. Various sources indicated that hundreds of thousands of children are dying every year as a result of conflict-induced malnutrition, disease and the breakdown of healthcare, water and sanitation services.
At least one in four African children lives in a conflict zone and the numbers of ‘grave violations’ against children have almost tripled since 2010, according to Save the Children’s Stop the War on Children report, released in February 2019.
Representatives of children and youth from Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo were gathered last week here in Addis Ababa to demand African decision makers to enact changes in their countries to ensure that children are safe in times of conflict.
The conference has brought children and youth alongside delegates from the African Union, government representatives and policy makers, child protection experts, members of academia and civil society, to discuss how international and regional mechanisms can better protect children affected by armed conflict in Africa.
The conference was intended to act as both a wakeup call to policy makers in conflict-affected African countries, and as a platform in which to develop a Roadmap for action to protect children in situations of conflicts.
According to Dr. Assefa Bekele, Executive Director of the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF), the war on Africa’s children persists and it is getting worse.
“Africa’s leaders are failing to protect their children from the horrors of war. Despite repeated UN Security Council resolutions, international conventions and regional agreements, African children continue to suffer. Progress on protection is deplorably slow, and perpetrators are rarely brought to justice for war crimes and grave violations.”
Dr. Assefa noted that the war on Africa’s children, often underreported, is fueled by food insecurity, climate change, poor governance, absence of the rule of law, corruption, inter-communal tensions and violent extremism.
Chronic underdevelopment, civil war, political instability and terrorism have created a perfect storm of child abductions, forced recruitment, rape and trafficking. Child protection in African conflict zones is weak, fragmented and underfunded.
“We hope that the Pan-African Conference on Children and Armed Conflict sends a clear message to the UN, AU, all actors to the conflicts, and to African political leaders. These tragedies are happening on our watch, and we are currently failing to protect children affected by armed conflict,” he stated.
On her part, Helena Thybell, CEO of Save the Children Sweden, said: “We urge the UN, the African Union and warring parties to end the numerous wars on the continent and step-up measures to protect children affected by conflict. We demand that children caught up in situations of conflict are afforded safety, justice and the practical help they need to recover.”
African governments must take all necessary measures to end the killing and maiming, abductions, sexual violence, and recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, and they must cease attacks on schools, hospitals and humanitarian operations, as well as ensure that perpetrators of violations against children are held accountable.
Speaking on the event, State Minister of Women, Children and Youth, Alemitu Omut said that currently, in Ethiopia it is common to see children at home, school, streets and care institutions to be subjected to various forms of abuse. Seeing the challenges, the government has taken various initiatives.
According to her, protecting the rights’ of children is not only the duty of the Ministry or other governmental organization. It needs active involvement of all stakeholders.
The Ethiopian Herald October 30, 2019
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
