CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18

CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18

CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18

Key events and progress over the financial year

THE GLOBAL PICTURE

14,000

children recruited into armed groups in Central African Republic since the

latest conflict started six years ago

240 million

children today live in countries affected by

ongoing conflict

203

reports of children being used as

`suicide bombers' by Boko Haram in Cameroon and Nigeria in 2017

At least 18 conflicts around the world where children have participated in hostilities since 2016

56

armed groups and seven state forces named by the UN Secretary-General as guilty of child recruitment in 2017

46

State militaries around the world continue to recruit children under the

age of 18

19,000

children recruited by armed forces and armed groups in South Sudan

over the past four years

*Statistics are accurate to our knowledge at the time of publication in July 2018 Sources: United Nations, Save The Children, Child Soldiers International.

4 CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2016-17

OUR VISION

Protecting children in conflict is one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time. Around the world more than 240 million children are living in countries affected by conflict. Many of them face violence, displacement, hunger and exploitation by armed forces and groups.

Child Soldiers International's World Index ? an online database mapping child recruitment practices worldwide ? highlights the participation of children in at least 18 conflicts during the last year.

guilty of child recruitment, after implementing measures to remove children from their ranks. The government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force in Nigeria also signed a UN agreement to end child recruitment during the year.

The scale of exploitation of children in war is startling. Boko Haram's attacks continue across the Lake Chad Basin region, where the group has used an alarming number of children as "suicide bombers". 203 cases in Nigeria and Cameroon were verified in 2017.

More than 3,000 cases of recruitment by armed groups in DR Congo were reported in 2017. At least 19,000 under-18s are believed to be participating in the conflict in South Sudan, and we are seeing the recruitment of children spike in the Middle East.

We are fighting to end this. We envision a different life for children ? one where they can grow up realising their full potential and enjoying all their human rights.

This year has seen some notable progress. February 2018 marked the 18th anniversary of the adoption of OPAC ? the international treaty which prohibits the use of children in conflict. In September 2017 Central African Republic was the latest country to make the treaty law, taking the total number of state parties to 167 out of 197 UN member states.

In 2017 the Congolese national army and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines were removed from the UN list of parties

Globally, over 10,000 children were formally released from armed forces and groups during 2017, according to the UN SecretaryGeneral's latest annual report on children and armed conflict.

At the community level, Child Soldiers International is working to consolidate this progress ? promoting best practice to ensure that children formerly associated with armed forces and groups have a safe and positive return home, and strengthening community initiatives to prevent their recruitment in the first place.

We believe that by driving forward progress in law, and supporting these changes with practical, community-led initiatives, we can generate sustainable progress towards our goal: an end to child recruitment.

We offer our thanks to all those who have supported us in our mission over the last year. From governments, international law firms and charitable foundations, to the inspiring individuals, schools and community groups who have so generously donated their time and money to our cause. The progress we have made has only been possible with your support.

CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 5

?Amy Smyth

OUR STRATEGY

Our strategy is informed by one overarching goal: to prevent the military recruitment of any child.

We work with governments, the UN, NGOs, affected communities and children to identify and implement effective practical measures to prevent child recruitment, and to ensure children who escape or are released from armed groups and armed forces can rebuild their lives.

But we also go beyond these solutions, to tackle the problems at their source. In addition to our practical, community-based programmes, we drive change in national laws and international standards ? action which is essential for a permanent end to the military exploitation of children.

HOW WE WORK

Our approach uses a combination of community-level prevention and international advocacy to prevent child recruitment in practice and in law. We work with the right experts in countries to drive progress towards our goals, both locally and globally.

Community

We work with local child protection actors to bring about tangible improvements to the lives of children and communities affected by conflict around the world. We strengthen the capacity of local organisations and work with them to foster communities that protect children from recruitment and re-recruitment. This ensures our initiatives are sustainable and can protect children from recruitment in the long term.

National

We conduct national level advocacy campaigns, directly and with our partners, to bring about the political and legislative changes needed to end child recruitment.

Where necessary, we work with governments to provide technical assistance and practical guidance to ensure these changes are implemented effectively. We connect our local partners with government and UN officials to encourage concerted advocacy.

International

We use our research at the international level to drive action, improve understanding and change the approaches of other international child rights and child protection actors, the UN, and diplomats, for a more effective, permanent solution to ending child recruitment.

CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 7

ACHIEVEMENTS & PROGRESS

LONDON FEBRUARY 2018

We were delighted to be chosen for the BBC Radio 4 Charity Appeal in February. Voiced by radio presenter Jane Garvey, the appeal raised more than ?26,000 for our DR Congo projects.

NEW YORK FEBRUARY 2018

Celebrating 18 years since the adoption of the child soldier treaty, we brought together governments, international bodies and NGOs to the UN, at our `OPAC Turns 18' event. We also launched the Child Soldiers World Index - our online database mapping child recruitment practices, policies and laws worldwide.

BRUSSELS JANUARY 2018

We addressed an event at the EU Parliament on the protection of children returning to Europe from conflict zones abroad.

GOMA JUNE 2017

We launched our extensive research report, What the Girls Say, from DR Congo, detailing the harsh realities facing girls formerly associated with armed groups and sharing the girls' recommendations on the support they need.

8 CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18

GENEVA MARCH 2018

We joined the Special Representative to the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict in a panel at a UN sideevent to emphasise the importance of responding to the needs of girls in child soldier reintegration programmes.

NAYPYIDAW FEBRUARY 2018

We held workshops in Naypyidaw and Yangon with our partner Equality Myanmar. Engaging parliamentarians and local child protection actors, the workshops focused on the need for Myanmar to ratify the child soldier treaty.

BANGUI MAY 2018

We published new training and educational resources, designed to support the efforts of government officials and community child protection groups in preventing the recruitment of children in the ongoing conflict.

CHILD SOLDIERS INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL REPORT 2017-18 9

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download