International consultation on the impact of armed conflict on children

.UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA

NATIONS UNIES

COMMISSION ECONOMIQUE POUR L'AFRIQUE

No. 4782 11 April 1995

INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATION ON THE IMPACT OF ARMED CONFLICT ON' CHILDREN

An historic international consultation on the Impact of Armed Conflict on -Children will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for three days, starting 17 April. The yonsultation, which is the first· in a series·.pf such regional meetings, will fbcus on the experiences of ..,Ethiopia ! and 14 other countries of the Horn, eastern, central and sout.her-n Africa. ,.,Ch a i r e d by Ms. Graya Machel, widow of the martyred ' first president of Mozambique, the consultation is part of a two-year study on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Childr~n, t~e first ever of its kind to be commissioned by the Uryited _N~tions General Assembly. '.;

Participants in the consultation will include high-level government officials;, NGO leaders and representatives of United Nations agencies and_regional and international organizations. The consultation will examine the situation of children in countries in

conf~ict and in countries that border conflict:situations and will develop recommendations that will be incorporated into the final report of the study, to be sub~itted to the General Assembly by the ,-e nd ofl996. Specifically, the consultation will seek to increase national and international attention to the changing patterns and

increas~ng number of conflicts adversely affecting children and women.

organized by the study in cooperation with the U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) , the consultation w~ll take place in Africa Hall. The opening plenary on Monday, 17 April, which will be addressed by representatives of the Government of Ethiopia, ECA and the o~ganizationdf African Unity, will provide an overview of the context in which situations of armed conflict are taking place throughout the region. The ongoing or recently ended armed conflicts in somalia, Burundi and Rwanda, among others, will serve as focal points of the discussion.

more

P.O.Box 3001 •

For use of infonnation media;not an official record

Addis Ababa • Ethiopia

• Destine a

,

2

On the second day the meeting will divide into three concurrent working groups that will develop action-oriented agendas in the following areas: (1) the protection of children in situations of armed conflict; (2) the promotion of their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration; and (3) hUmanitarian values and the promotion of international, regional and national standards that will apply to children in situations of armed conflict. Ways of preventing conflict will be an imp~rtant

theme to ,b e considered by all three groups.

Accountability, mobilisation and action will be the focus of the final plenary on Wednesday, 19 April. This session will examine the failures, limitations and potential of specific interventions on behalf of children in the region. It will also discuss strategies for mobilisation and the major elements of a comprehensi ve action agenda directed to the key international parties responsible for the protection and care of children affected by armed conflict.

, Among those whose participation in the consultation is confirmed' are Ms. Specioza Wandira-Kazibwe, Vice President of Uganda; Mrs. Marcxienne Mujawaha, Minister for Human Rights of Burundi; and Mr. Olara otunnu, President of the International Peace Academy.

Taking as its basis the Conve~tionon the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified human rights treaty, the Study on the Impact of Armed Conflict. on Children, seeks to demonstrate to the world community tQe necessity of adopting effective' measures for the promotion and protection of the rights of children who are victims of armed conflicts and to ' stimulate much' greater international action in this area.

In the December 1993 consensus resolution of the U.N. General Assembly that establishe~ th~ Study, the united Nations Children's Fund and"the"Geneva-based Centre for Human Rights were called upon to collaborate in its work.

For further information, contact:

Ms. Cheryl Gregory Faye, UNICEF Information, at (251-1) 51.34.64 or

Mr. Ali Farah, U.N. Economic commission for Africa, at (251-1) 51.01.72.

***********************************

L