wfn.org | Africans seek ways to address problem of children in war

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Feb. 12, 2002 News media contact: Linda Green7(615)742-54707Nashville, Tenn.
10-31-71B{053}

By Celinda J. Hughes*

MUTARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) -- Conflict in Africa is pervasive, and children
often bear the brunt of the continent's wars.

A recent workshop at Africa University drew together a pan-African group of
27 people to develop strategies for dealing with the impact of war on
children. The two-week gathering, "Children in Armed Conflict," was held
under the auspices of the university's Emergency/Disaster Management
Capacity Building Program. Other sponsors were Action by Churches Together
(ACT) and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The participants
represented 12 ACT member churches and organizations and 13 African
countries.

Between 1985 and 1995, more than 2 million children were killed in armed
conflict, 5 million were disabled, 12 million were made homeless, and more
than a million were orphaned, according to Mark Chingono, workshop program
coordinator. Nearly 10 million to 15 million child soldiers are in wars
today. 

The workshop focused on counseling children traumatized by war;
rehabilitating and reintegrating children during and after war; empowering
children through education; assisting land mine victims; and using
international legal processes and world bodies such as UNICEF in helping
children in armed conflict. 

"It was important for me to attend this workshop because as a child I have
been a victim of the war," said Jane Basa Namurye Pogge of Sudan. "According
to my cultural experiences, I feel I have grown up as our parents and great
grandparents, and have in one way or the other failed." As a result of the
workshop, she found that she could be "useful especially to find ways of how
we can, as Sudanese people, invest in our young generation."

Pogge characterized the class as an eye-opener. "I thought our problems were
worse, but when I looked at the situation in Sierra Leone, where even
children were being chopped up - their hands and their legs - I see how the
African continent really could be." If there is no mercy on the children who
are the future generations, she said, "we who are planting plant conflict
and not peace in these children, (and) I don't know what investment we have
as Africans.

United Methodist-related Africa University established a pan-African
Institute of Peace, Leadership and Governance as a way to promote peace on
the continent. The institute is designed to provide a forum for debate,
training, research, scholarship and advisory services in the areas of peace,
governance and leadership. It offers graduate studies leading to a master's
degree in peace and governance, and trains African leaders in management
systems for implementing peace and providing sound leadership.
 
The university is planning follow-up visits to evaluate how participants use
the skills learned during the workshop. Another class, "Conflict and the
Environment," is scheduled for April at the university.
# # #
*Hughes, a staff member of United Methodist Communications, is Africa
University's interim director of information.

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United Methodist News Service
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