Contact Information
Zero Force is a campaign by the Child Soldiers Initiative
Email info@zeroforce.org
Mailing Address Child Soldiers Initiative HCI Building 1125 Colonel By. Dr Suite 5110, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6 CANADA
Since January 2010, the Child Soldiers Initiative has been located in the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies (CFPS) at Dalhousie University, which has built a unique program of teaching, research and awareness-raising with security forces engaged with Conflicted Affected Children and Youth.
Table of Contents 1. Welcome! To the Zero Force Movement 2. Zero Force Who we are and what we do 3. Getting Involved Three simple steps 4. Serve Actions
Get your feet on the ground 5. Ways to Get Active Talk, Educate, Fundraise 6. In Your School Reach your friends and teachers 7. In Your Community Reach your neighbours and peers 8. For Working Professionals Reach your colleagues 9. Things You Should Know
Bits and pieces to help you plan 10. Working with Finances Tips for keeping the money straight 10. Making your Event Successful Advertising, Photos, and Thank Yous 11. My Event is Over
What now? 12. Event Checklist Use this form to help you plan 13-14. Learn About the Issue FAQs about child soldiers 15-16. Media and Literature Books/Movies that Teach 17. Tell me More… Websites that help you dig deeper Appendix 1 – Event Registration Form Appendix 2 – Event Report Form Appendix 3 – Event Donation Form Appendix 4 – Donation Tracker Form
Note: All forms made available in this kit are for demonstration purposes only. Please download electronic copies from: www.zeroforce.org/serve.html.
Welcome!
To the Zero Force movement
Each person enlisted in Zero Force is united by a strong conviction to see the end of the use of child soldiers. Together we are working towards a world in which it is unacceptable for a child to be handed a gun to fight in adult wars. By educating ourselves and the people around us about this phenomenon, we can raise enough support to stop the practice entirely. Whether you are a teacher, student, working professional, athlete, musician, artist, business executive, stay at home mom, or are involved in any other profession, you have a window of influence that only you can reach. WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS? WHO ARE YOUR WORK PARTNERS? Do they know that children are forced to carry weapons and fight in wars? Do they know that the vast majority of child soldiers have been forced into such a life of violence, whether it be poverty, overt abduction or desperation? We BET YOU THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR PEERS HAVE NO CLUE. ...BUT YOU KNOW. We can also guarantee that if your friends knew about the issue, they would be just as angered about the existence of child soldiers as you are. Zero Force calls on YOU to get informed and get involved! Tap into your leadership abilities and use your own access to information and social networking to be an everyday advocate. In partnership with us at Zero Force, and with a bit of ingenuity on your part, you can instantly connect with thousands of others online who are acting out against the child soldier crisis. You have the tools to make a difference in the lives of your peers around the globe. Raise your voice today!
Lake Albert DRC, UN Photo Courtesy of Martine Perret.
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Zero Force
Who we are and what we do
tools, ordinary people can and WILL assist in putting an end to the recruitment of child soldiers.
Zero Force began in 2010 as the public mobilization campaign of the Child Soldiers Initiative, founded by Lt-General RomĂŠo Dallaire (retired). Since January 2010 the Child Soldiers Initiative has been located in the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Simply enlisting in the Zero Force movement does not commit you to any particular action. We thank you for your support, but enlisting is not the end result.
even one child soldier is too many. The mission of Zero Force is to become a global movement of ordinary people pushing towards a future in which no child is ever again forced to take up arms in conflicts around the world. Zero Force believes that each person has the power to make unprecedented changes on a global scale, and if given the right support and engagement
Across Canada and abroad, people are uniting together to call attention to the plight of child soldiers. Each event pushes for child soldiers to be recognized as a priority issue on the global stage by demonstrating that we WILL NOT tolerate the status quo and WE WILL continue to speak out for the rights of children.
War violates every right of the child. - Graça Machel
Sinclair Secondary School in Whitby, Ontario Students raising awareness about the issue of child soldiers at their school fundraising event. Photo Courtesy of Sinclair Secondary School
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Getting Involved
Three simple steps
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Enlist Recruit Serve Your first step to serving in Zero Force, if you haven’t already done so, is to enlist in the movement online at www.zeroforce.org. Enlisting requires a one-time enlist fee of CAN$10. This fee enables Zero Force to raise the necessary funds to build and sustain an organized movement to eradicate the use of child soldiers. If you are interested in serving in the movement and the enlist fee is a barrier for you, please email info@zeroforce.org. Your enlistment in Zero Force lets our team know of your support, and in turn we can support you in planning your events in the future. You will receive a Zero Force pendant shortly after enlisting, which we hope will help you move onto the next step of the movement.
Your Zero Force pendant is sure to raise questions from family and friends. Many people around you are probably not aware of the issue of child soldiers, and one of the most important actions you can take is to educate them. Each opportunity that you take to speak about child soldiers around the world means that you are one step closer to the eradication of child soldiers. You may be the one and only person capable of showing your friends the realities of child soldiering.
So you’re enlisted in Zero Force, and you’re telling people about child soldiers. What now? Now is the time to step it up a notch. Start to think of ways that you can make an even greater impact on your community through organized events or fundraising campaigns. Brainstorm ideas about how to raise awareness or take action towards the eradication of the use of children as weapons in war. This serve kit is your source of information. We have included ideas that can act as guidelines for you when planning your own actions. Don’t let our suggestions limit you though – be creative and think outside the box. We have also included procedures that should be followed by any event that promotes the name of Zero Force.
After speaking with people, you can direct them to the Zero Force website to get more information and so they too can enlist in the movement and help you organize events in support of Zero Force.
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Serve Actions
Get your feet on the ground
“It’s not about what we know, it’s about what we do with what we know.”
Knowing about the issue of child soldiers and enlisting in Zero Force is not enough to stop the use of children as weapons of war; you need to act on that knowledge to influence others and begin to generate positive change. The following section will help you do just that. In it you will find possible event ideas, and if you visit the ‘serve’ page of www.zeroforce.org you will find further digital resources to aid you in any event you decide to take on. This Serve Action Kit is our help to you so you can do just that. It will provide you with information, resources and ideas about how you can become an effective actor, speaking out against the use of child soldiers. The ideas that we present throughout these pages only serve as a beginning, and we hope that you use them as a springboard to greater events and awareness-raising campaigns that only you can create.
Hip-hop artist, Shaun Boothe
Sinclair Secondary School, Whitby, ON. Photo Courtesy of Sinclair Secondary School.
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Ways to Get Active
Talk, Educate, Fundraise
TALK ABOUT IT
Be VOCAL about the issue of child soldiers! Once you enlist in Zero Force you will receive our pendant. Whether you use it as a necklace, bracelet, bookmark or anything else, the important thing is that you use it to start conversations with people around you. Through talking with people you will gain confidence and support for your future serve actions.
CREATE AN EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE
A serve action in support of Zero Force involves any positive action that raises awareness about the issue of child soldiers. Each member who enlists in Zero Force brings with them their own ideas and creative abilities. Only you know how best to educate your peers about child soldiers. You know exactly how they will listen to you and what activities they would participate in. Take a look at our suggestions below, mix them with your own ideas, and plan a wicked event! Let our team know about your event by sending a message to info@zeroforce.org. We love hearing about all the ways people are supporting the movement.
FUNDRAISE
Fundraising is an important serve action that you can do with your peers, school, family and community. As a member of Zero Force you are raising funds that will help the Child Soldiers Initiative do its work. Fundraising is a lot more than simply asking for donations. In fact, if done properly, it can be a lot of fun and is most successful when you come up with creative ideas that others are excited about. Fundraising ideas are endless, so get some friends together and start brainstorming about what you can do in your community. You’ll be surprised with what you come up with.
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO PLAN? When people are aware of an issue, there is a greater chance that a fundraiser will be successful. The best way to organize events is to incorporate two components:
The ideas on the following pages are divided into School-type, Community-type, or Professional-type events. Each category has a variety of fundraiser (Raise the Funds) and Educational (Get the Word Out) examples.
The educational component The Fundraising component
Use them to build your own unique event.
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In Your Reach your friends and teachers OUR TIP:
Organizing an event is a lot of work for one person, especially if you are a student. To make the load lighter, form a student group at your school, and plan events as a team. Get a teacher on board to support you, and appoint leaders to represent each grade level. Host a training seminar/workshop to make sure everyone is educated about the issue. It is a great idea for each member to purchase T-shirts from Zero Force to wear at sponsored events as a sort of uniform for the team.
PUBLICIzE: Get permission to place Zero Force posters around your school. Be sure to place them in high traffic areas, ie. on doors, above computers in computer labs, in the cafeteria. You can download copies from http://zeroforce.org/serve.html. GAME TIME: Use sports events as ways to advertize. Place posters in the gymnasiums and have the members of your student group wear their t-shirts to the games, mingling with the spectators. Be sure to print out handouts and have factsheets to hand to people. SPORTS TEAMS: Talk to the coaches of a sports team to see if they would allow their team to be an ongoing supporter of Zero Force. Badges could be sewn onto their uniforms. This way the team will be showing their support of the movement each time they travel for away-games. At pep rallies a small announcement could be made announcing that the team is an avid supporter of Zero Force and the abolition of child soldiers. GET IT IN CLASS: Ask an English, History, or World Issues teacher to incorporate a book into their curriculum that deals with the issue of child soldiers. Refer to the resource section of this kit to get ideas. Be sure to propose it to a teacher well in advance. Most schools require that teachers prepare curriculum the year before, so you should submit books in the spring to be considered for the fall term. BE CREATIVE: Speak to an art teacher to have them introduce challenging assignments that will force their students to expose the issue of child soldiers through art. The artwork could be donated to the cause, and you could host an exposition in your town where the works could be auctioned off with proceeds going to Zero Force. HIT THE BOOKS: Scour the bookshelves of your school library. If you don’t find many entries, pay a visit to the principal and politely suggest that the school library stocks its shelves with appropriate books on the issue.
COFFEE HOUSE: Host a coffee house or ‘battle of the bands’ in support of Zero Force and ending the use of child soldiers. DANCE: Hold a dance in support of Zero Force. Most schools allow for a portion of the admissions costs to be donated to a cause. You could make it a costume party or theme to spice it up a bit. DRESS DOWN DAYS: If your school wears uniforms, have a dress-down day and all proceeds could go towards Zero Force. Bake Sale: Host a small bake sale or other fundraiser to raise funds on behalf of the student body. BOX CARS: Organize an inter-school box-car competition. You could have different ages competing against each other. Each participant would get sponsors.
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In Your Reach your neighbours and peers NEWSPAPER: Write articles for your local newspaper to get the word out to your town or city about the issue of children and war. BUSINESSES: Ask local businesses and organizations for permission to post a Zero Force poster on their doors or windows. PARTNERSHIPS: Get in touch with your local chamber of commerce or town council to see if there are any possibilities of partnerships between your town and Zero Force. Having the support of a whole town opens up many more possibilities for you to organize larger events. Ask your mayor to declare a Zero Force Day once a year. PUT IT IN WRITING: Write letters to leaders in your community highlighting the issue of child soldiers. PUBLIC SPACES: Ask your local community leaders for some community space, where children could paint or create a mural showcasing childhood. Be sure to post a sign stating the mission of the mural and the goal of valuing children worldwide. Such murals are often enjoyed by the whole town, and are a constant reminder that children have the right to be protected. TO THE STREET CORNER: Organize an awareness raising day where you and your friends dress in Zero Force t-shirts and fan out across your community to hand out flyers with information about child soldiers. Be sure to include the Zero Force website so they can access more information and enlist in the movement.
FILM SCREENING: Host a film screening in your home or at your school, local theatre, or community center. You could set up a donation box and sell baked goods. Make sure to spur a discussion after the film about the issue. Hang posters from Zero Force and have factsheets available for people to take home. Please ensure that all permits and license requirements are obtained. GET ACTIVE: Work with your local recreation centers or community centers to organize marathons, bike-a-thons, skip-a-thons, or any other sporting event popular in your area. Registration fees and sponsorships would be in support of Zero Force. garage sale: Host a community wide garage sale. All items such as toys, clothes, and books could be donated and sold with proceeds supporting Zero Force. DINNER PARTY: Host a dinner in your home. Make it a theme party and have a few door prizes. You could sell tickets and have a raffle. These types of events work well around special holidays or any internationally designated day.
“When you bring light into dark places, Evil cannot Perform.� Emmanuel Jal
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Reach your colleagues
WEAR YOUR SHIRT TO WORK: Ask your boss to allow you to substitute your usual uniform/work attire for a Zero Force T-shirt one day of the week. COMPUTER: Change your desktop or screensaver to Zero Force’s logo so that the people around you become aware of the organization. PAMPHLETS: Ask your boss if you can hand out a small card with the logo of Zero Force and our website with each receipt that you hand to a customer.
CASUAL DAYS: Host a casual day at work (Fridays work well) where your colleagues can donate to dress down and support Zero Force. Or better yet, if your work already has an established dressdown day, ask your colleagues to purchase Zero Force T-shirts and you can wear them together. BASKET RAFFLE: Put together a holiday basket and sell raffle tickets. Check the bylaws in your city if a license is required for raffles. HOST DINNER: Host a dinner party with ethnic recipes and charge friends to come and enjoy the exotic food. It might taste different, but everyone will have fun. Make it even better with costumes.
A note to MOMS AND DADS
As a parent you want your children to have an understanding about the world around them. A great idea is to help them identify with children in other countries, and many children will become interested in the topic of child soldiers if is explained to them in a proper way. Teaching kids about this issue can be sensitive. Age appropriate resources are made available through the United Nations at their website www.cyberschoolbus.un.org. A great way to speak to younger kids about the issue is to celebrate children’s rights. By understanding and valuing their freedom to participate in sports, music and fun activities, young children can identify with other children who do not have such privileges. As a parent you can greatly influence your child’s understanding of the global community, especially if you take an active part in their education. Speak to your child’s teachers to see if any of them are interested in partnering with you to plan some of the events outlined in the SCHOOL related or COMMUNITY related sections.
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Things You Should Know
Bits and pieces to help you plan
role of Zero Force/child soldiers initiative
This is your event. It should be planned, organized, and executed by you. You can rely on the Child Soldiers Initiative’s team to offer you resources and assistance that will point you in the right direction, but the official planning and execution are the sole responsibility of each event organizer. The Child Soldiers Initiative is not liable for any accidents occurring during, or resulting from, any event organized in support of Zero Force. Event planners are expected to ensure that Health and Safety standards are respected, permits and license requirements are obtained, and that any bylaws are observed at any event under their direction.
Registering your event with Zero Force
Use of Zero Force logo and merchandise
We ask that all event organizers register their event prior to commencing their planning. Once you register, our team can provide you with the most amount of support possible
The Zero Force logo cannot be used to promote any activity other than those aligned with the mission and goals of Zero Force or the Child Soldiers Initiative. The design of the logo cannot be altered or tampered with. Any reproduction of the logo must ensure its integrity in color, proportion and format on all media pertaining to any event organized in support of Zero Force.
Follow www.zeroforce.org/serve.html to download the Event Registration form. Email the completed form to info@zeroforce.org, and a member of our team will follow up with you.
Online Resources
Merchandise
To make your event the most successful possible, you are going to need some resources. We have compiled various adaptable posters, fact sheets, and handouts for you to use before and during your event. Find them at www.zeroforce.org/serve.html.
Photos Please!
Zero Force merchandise can make your event even more successful when used before, during and afterwards. Be sure to check out the variety of t-shirts and other merchandise on our site and purchase your favs to use as convo starters! Find them at www.zeroforce.org/buy.html.
We LOVE to see photos of your events. Once your event is over please send us the best photos you have in the highest resolution possible. Child Soldiers Initiative reserves the right to use all photos submitted on the website or in future publications
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Working with Finances
Tips for keeping the money straight Event Costs
Your event may require some purchases to ensure that it turns out successfully. These can include paper, poster printing, napkins, etc. To ensure that your costs remain minimal, you could seek in-kind donations from sponsors and local businesses.
Donations to Zero Force and The Child Soldiers Initiative
Showcasing Merchandise from Zero Force and the Child Soldiers Initiative is a great way to raise awareness for both organizations.
You may receive financial donations for Zero Force or the Child Soldiers Initiative. We require that you print our Donation Tracker form and provide the appropriate information for each individual donation. A tax receipt will be issued only to individuals who request one on the Donation Tracker form. Please see our reporting section for more details.
Making Your Event Successful
Advertizing, Photos, and Thank Yous
Advertizing
The one element that will make or break your event is whether or not people show up. The only way to ensure that you have a good turnout is extensive advertising. You should be planning your advertising well before the actual event date, and remember to change the forms you use to advertise. You can switch between posters, handing out pamphlets or ½ page invitations, sending emails and texts, tweeting or creating a Facebook event.
Photos
Great events happen all the time with no evidence to show for it because photography was never considered. We do not suggest you hire a professional photographer, but it is a good idea to designate one person to be in-charge of snapping photos for the whole event. Once the event is over you will have memories of what you accomplished as well as great resources to send to Zero Force. Who knows, your event may be featured on our newsletters!
Send Thank You Cards
Once your event is over, write all your major sponsors and supporters a simple thank you card and include a 4x6 picture of the event. Showing gratitude is the best way to ensure that your sponsors will participate with you in the future.
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My Event is Over What now?
Reporting your event Zero Force asks that all event organizers report their event once it is completed. To report your event you will need three forms. All three are available online at www.zeroforce.org/serve.html. 1. Event report Form - To report on the success of your event 2. Event Donation Form - To report on the financial component of your event 3. Donation Tracker Form - For donations made to Zero Force/the Child Soldiers Initiative
How to Report your event No need to print our Event report forms. They can be filled out directly on your computer.
1. Download the electronic Event report form at www.zeroforce.org/serve.html 2. Complete all the necessary fields. 3. Email completed form to info@zeroforce.org with your registration code.
Handling money For fundraisers or financial donations on behalf of Zero Force or the Child Soldiers Initiative, follow these steps.
For proceeds from a Fundraiser 1. Calculate the total proceeds made by your event. 2. Download the electronic Event Donations form from www.zeroforce.org/serve.html. 3. Fill it out and email it to info@zeroforce.org. This ensures that we associate your donation amount with your event so that you get credit for all your hard work. 4. Go to www.zeroforce.org and follow the GIVE link. Make an online donation for the amount that you reported in Step 3.
For Donations to Zero Force/the Child Soldiers Initiative Note: Record all financial donations on your Donation Tracker form.
1. Download the Donation Tracker form at www.zeroforce.org/serve.html 2. Complete a separate entry for all donations that you receive. 3. Zero Force will accept cheques by mail, but all cash donations must be converted into a money order from your local bank. 4. Mail the original copies of your Donation Tracker forms and all cheques/money orders to:
Cheques/money orders
Please make cheques payable to: Dalhousie University/Child Soldiers Initiative Memo: Zero Force Event Mailing Address: Child Soldiers Initiative
c/o Pearson Peacekeeping Center HCI Building 1125 Colonel By. Dr Suite 5110, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6 CANADA
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Event Checklist
Use this form to help you plan
IN PREPARATION - BEFORE EVENT
Enlist in Zero Force. *Note: We ask that all event organizers be enlisted in Zero Force. Brainstorm for your event and create a basic idea about what you want to achieve Set a date Register your event with Zero Force using our Event Registration form Confirm artists/guests/volunteers Make a budget Seek sponsorship from the local businesses Confirm venue Advertise
REPORTING - AFTER EVENT
Contact local newspapers to ask whether or not your event could be covered in their publications.
Tally your expenses and profits Complete the Event Report form Complete the Event Donation form If your event was a fundraiser, make an online donation If you received financial donations towards Zero Force or the Child Soldiers Initiative, complete Donation Tracker sheets and mail originals along with cheques/money orders to Zero Force Send Thank You's to all of your supporters Compile photos and newspaper articles. Send the best ones to us at Zero Force.
And finally, CONGRATULATE YOURSELF! You just organized an event in support of the eradication of the use of child soldiers currently fighting around the world. Every event organized on behalf of Zero Force is a success, no matter what size it may be. Each person that you teach about the reality of child soldiers is one more person who will partner with Zero Force to make sure that we end the use of child soldiers for future generations. Child Soldiers Initiative HCI Building
Zero Force is a campaign by the Child Soldiers Initiative
1125 Colonel By. Dr Suite 5110, Ottawa, ON, CANADA
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K1S5B6
Learn About the Issue FAQs about child soldiers
*All facts are retrieved from the ‘Recommended Websites for Further Information’ Section.
What is a Child Soldier? A child soldier is: any person below 18 years of age who is or who has been recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to children, boys, and girls used as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers, spies or for sexual purposes. It does not only refer to a child who is taking or has taken a direct part in hostilities. Paris Principles (2007) Just how many children are we talking about? While exact figures are unknown, estimations suggest that there
are 100’s of thousands of child soldiers around the world.
Surely only the bad guys use child soldiers? In fact, the majority of the world’s child soldiers are involved in a variety of armed groups. These include government-backed paramilitary groups, militias and self-defence units operating in many conflict zones. Others include armed groups opposed to central government rule, groups composed of ethnic religious and other minorities and clan-based or factional groups fighting governments and each other to defend territory and resources.
Where exactly is this taking place? Child soldiers are and have been used in almost all regions of the world. According to the Report of the Secretary General on Children in Armed Conflict (April13th, 2010) the countries where children are actively involved in armed conflict today are: Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Nepal, Iraq, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Uganda.
Girls are safe, right? Nope, think again! Approximately 40% of all child soldiers are girls, and they often play an active role in combat. In addition to fighting, girls are most often used as sexual slaves by commanders and domestic labourers (e.g. cooks, nurses, porters). In some conflicts, girls may be raped or given to military commanders as “wives.” In various countries, like Nepal, Sri Lanka and Uganda, a third or more of the child soldiers were reported to be girls. How do kids get into these groups? Children may be abducted, forcibly recruited, or given the very limited alternatives, “volunteer” to become child soldiers. Contributing factors to joining armed groups include: poverty, separation from family, displacement, and living in areas exposed to armed conflict or severely restricted social and economic opportunities (e.g. schools, employment).
What are the benefits of having an inexperienced child serve as a soldier? Some children are
uniquely vulnerable to recruitment because of their emotional and physical immaturity. This means that they are easily manipulated and can be drawn into violence that they are too young to resist or understand. They can be easily indoctrinated, and thus become stongly attached to groups for which they fight.
Do they use weapons? Improvements in weapon technology as well as the proliferation of small arms and light weapons
have made it easier for children to engage in combat. Such weapons are often accessible in conflict zones and are relatively easy to use.
Surely a commander would protect any child under their supervision? On the contrary, children abducted by armed groups may be forced to commit violent acts against their own family members and community. This deliberate ‘stigmatizing’ strategy makes reunification processes for former child soldiers very challenging. Once a child is brought into an armed group, they are often considered easily replaceable due to the large numbers of children in conflict zones. This causes adult officers to place them in situations deemed too dangerous for mature officers. They are often used as human shields, scouts, and spies. Children are pressed into combat, where they may be forced to the front lines or sent into minefields ahead of older troops. Some children have been used for suicide missions. A common technique for militaries is to ensure that child soldiers are dependent on drugs, causing the children to become fearless and feel invincible. This heightens their usability in extremely dangerous missions.
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Learn About the Issue con't. FAQs about child soldiers
Girls, Girls, and more Girls: Even though girl
Bamyan, Afghanistan, UN Photo Courtesy of Shehzad Noorani.
Are there laws that protect children? The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, entered into force in 1990, is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. It includes measures that protect children from recruitment and use as child soldiers. The United Nations’ Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict forbids the use of children as soldiers under the age of 18. Since it entered into force in 2002, more than 139 countries have since ratified the Optional Protocol. Despite the support it has received, children are still targeted by government armies and non-state armed groups including paramilitary groups. Likewise, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labor forbids forced recruitment of children less than 18 years for armed conflict. More than 150 countries have ratified the Convention. When children leave the armed groups, what happens to them? In
some countries, former child soldiers have access to rehabilitation programs to help them locate their families, get back into school, receive vocational training, and re-enter civilian life. However, many children have no access to such programs. They may have no way to support themselves and are at risk of re-recruitment. In the last 10 years, the majority of DDR programs have taken place in sub-Saharan Africa with support from peacekeeping operations. DDR efforts are overall inadequate, and many children have not received the assistance needed to successfully return to their families and communities. More attention is needed on resources directed at community-based programs which are sensitive to the needs of returning child soldiers but are also designed to benefit all conflict-affected children.
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soldiers are involved in armed conflict around the world, reports from national DDR programs show very low girl participation, with average levels between 8-15%. For example, in Liberia about 3,000 girls were demobilized in a DDR process that ended in 2004. However, 8,000 girls were excluded, did not register, and received no support. Girls are often deliberately or inadvertently excluded from DDR programs. Girl soldiers are frequently subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence as well as being involved in combat and other roles. In some cases they are stigmatized by their home communities when they return. DDR programs should be sensitively constructed and designed to respond to the needs of girl soldiers. Gender specific outreach programs are need to give attention to the babies and children of girl soldiers.
Media and Literature Books that Teach
Here is a selection of literature that deals with either the issue of child soldiers or children affected by war.
• They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children, Romeo A. Dallaire
• A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, Ishmael Beah
• Aboke Girls. Children Abducted in Northern Uganda, Els De Temmerman
• Bush Wives and Girl Soldiers – Women’s lives through war and peace in Sierra Leone, Chris Coulter
• Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection, Mike Wessells
• Children at War, P.W. Singer
• Children and Youth on the Front Line: Ethnography, Armed Conflict and Displacement (Studies in Forced Migration), Jo Boyden (Editor) and Joanna De Berry (Editor)
• Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children, Faith McDonnell and Grace Akallo
• The Impact of war on Children, Graça Machel
• Johnny Mad Dog, Emmanuel Dongala
• Stolen Angels: The Kidnapped Girls of Uganda, Kathy Cook
• War Child, A Child Soldier’s Story, Emmanuel Jal
• When Elephants Fight: The Lives of Children in Conflict, Eric Walters and Adrian Bradbury
• Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda, Romeo A. Dallaire
• The Bite of the Mango, Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland
• Child Soldiers: Sierra Leone’s Revolutionary United Front, Myriam Denov
• Child, Victim, Soldier: The Loss of Innocence in Uganda, Donald H. Dunson
• First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army, Peter Eichstaedt
• War Brothers, Sharon McKay
• Guantanamo’s Child, Michelle Shephard
• Child Soldiers in the Age of Fractured States, Edited by Scott Gates and Simon Reich
• Innocence Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War, Jimmy Briggs
• Out of War: True stories from the front lines of the Children’s Movement for Peace in Colombia, Sara Cameron in cooperation with UNICEF.
• Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Wartime Sarajevo, Zlata Filipovic
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Media and Literature con't. Movies that Teach
Instead of watching the latest Hollywood flick the next time you get together with your friends, how about you suggest a movie from this list. Each one is sure to spur on further discussions about children and war.
• Blood Diamond (2006), Drama – Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone
• The Children’s War (2009), Documentary – Former Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda
• Ezra (2007), Drama – Focuses on a former Child Soldier in Sierra Leone
• Invisible Children (2006), Documentary – Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda • Johnny Mad Dog (2008), Drama – Child soldiers (mostly acted by former Child Soldiers) in an unnamed country in Africa
• Innocent Voices (2004) Drama – A child attempts to avoid recruitment for armed conflict in El Salvador
• War Child, Emmanuel Jal (2008) Documentary – Christian Karim Chrobog
• Soldier Child (1998) – Documentary – Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda
• War Don Don (2010) – In the heart of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, UN soldiers guard a heavily fortified building known as the “special court”.
• The Silent Army Wit Lcht (2008) – Child soldiers in Africa are at the fore in this tale of a white restaurant owner in an African town bordering a conflict zone.
• You Don’t Like the Truth: Four days inside Guantanamo (2010) – The meeting, never seen before, of a Canadian interrogation team with a child detained at Guantanamo Bay prison.
• The Kids of St. Michaels (Sierra Leone) (2008) – The follow up to Lost Childhood (2001), Desmond (Dez) Kamara returns to Sierra Leone to follow up on former child soldiers they filmed in the first documentary.
• Grace, Milly, Lucy…Child Soldiers (2010) – Over the past 20 years more than 30,000 Ugandan children have been abducted by rebel troops and forced into armed conflict. Many of these child soldiers are girls.
• Bling; A planet Rock (2007) – A feature documentary that will take a satirical hard-hitting look at how “blinging” in the flashy world of commercial hip hop played a role in the 10 year civil war in Sierra Leone.
16
Tell me More...
Websites that help you dig deeper
The Child Soldiers Initiative http://childsoldiersinitiative.org/ Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org/en/children Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers http://www.child-soldiers.org/home Human Rights Watch http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/index.htm International Labour Organization (ILO)/International Programme on Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) http://www.ilo.org/ipec/areas/Armedconflict/lang--en/index.htm Network of Young People Affected by War http://www.nypaw.org/ Office of the Special Representative of the UN on Children and Armed Conflict http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/index.html UNICEF http:www.unicef.org/protection/index_armedconflict.html UN Child Soldiers World Map http://www.un.org/children/conflict/_media/worldmap/worldmap.html SAVE the Children http://www.savethechildren.org War Child http://www.warchild.org/ United Nations http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org.
17
EVENT REGISTRATION To be completed by organizers of events and/or fundraisers in support of Zero Force prior to their event.
!ns$%&c()ns 1. Open and Download Form 2. Complete all fields 3. Email completed form to info@zeroforce.org
Organizer Information Name:
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Event organizers can rely on the Child Soldiers BniCaCveDs team to oEer resources and assistance, but the oIcial planning and execuCon are the sole responsibility of each event organizer. Khe Child Soldiers BniCaCve is not liable for any accidents occurring during, or resulCng from, any event organized in support of Lero Force. Event planners are expected to ensure that Health and Safety standards are respected, permits and license requirements are obtained, and that any bylaws are observed at any event under their direcCon. !nce the (vent *egistra0on 2orm is receive45 a sta6 mem7er o2 8ero 9orce :ill contact the event organizer via email to confirm their plans. Office Use Only
12en$ 3e45s$%6()n 7)8e:
Each event is assigned a registraion code. Please refer to your registraCon code in all future correspondance.
Profession:
SA M
Last Name/First Name
Mailing Address: Email:
Date of Birth: Optional
DD/MM/YYYY
Group Association:
Church/School/Club/University/Etc.
Event Information
Event Date:
Location:
DD/MM/YYYY
City/Province
Venue:
NOTE: If you choose 'other' for any of the following questions, please specify in the space provided.
What type of event will you be planning? What is your target audience?
Age Range:
What is the ultimate goal of your event? Raising Funds Raising Awareness Teaching Advocacy
Check all that apply.
Creating partnerships Getting new enlists Other:
Zero Force is a campaign by the Child Soldiers Initiative
Appendix 1
If your intention is to raise funds in support of Zero Force, what is your financial goal? $
EVENT REPORT To be completed by organizers of events and/or fundraisers in support of Zero Force after an event has been completed.
Our team sends you a Instru'(ons for Repor(n/
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AoBr Card worD and dedicaEon in sBpport of Fero Force is ending tCe Bse of cCild soldiers for fBtBre generaEons. We won't stop our efforts and we t<an= you for suppor(n/ us> Event Re/istra(on 8ode:
PL
1. Open and Download Event Report form 2. Complete all fields 3. Email complete form to info@zeroforce.org If your event was a fundraiser: 4. Download Event 7ona(on Form and follow necessary steps.
Organizer Information Name:
Event Date:
Last Name/First Name
Email:
SA M
City/Province:
DD/MM/YYYY
Comments
Attach separate sheet if necessary
Please comment on the success of your event. Can you make suggestions for other people organizing a similar type of event? Ex. What worked in your experience and what didn't work?
FINANCIAL INFORMATION: If your event was a fundraiser and/or you received financial donations to Zero Force/Child Soldiers Initiative during the course of your event, please download and complete the Event Donation form. Email completed forms to info@zeroforce.org. Child Soldiers Initiative c/o Pearson Peacekeeping Center
Zero Force is a campaign by the Child Soldiers Initiative
HCI Building 1125 Colonel By. Dr Suite 5110, Ottawa, ON, CANADA K1S5B6
Appendix 2
EVENT DONATIONS To be completed by organizers of FUNDRAISERS in support of Zero Force.
Our team sends you a
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Jour hard worK and dedica1on in support of Dero 2orce is ending the use of child soldiers for future genera1ons. 6e 7o"8$ s$o9 o&r e:or$s a"d 7e $ha"< =o& for s&99or("2 &s>
!"s$r&c(o"s for ,-e"$ /o"a(o"s
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!. $pen and *ownload E/ent *ona1on 2orm 2. Complete all fields 3. Email complete form to info@zeroforce.org @. 2ollow online instruc1ons to submit Cour dona1on to Dero 2orce/Child Goldiers Hni1a1/e.
!f =o& recei-ed ?"a"cial do"a(o"s o" behalf of Zero Force/Child Soldiers !"i(a(-e: !"#$%"&'(!"$&)"$(*+&,-.+( /"+01(2"%%"#(3$45+6,)"$41( L*ona1on MracKer forms can be found online at www.zeroforce.org/html and must be filled out for each dona1on made.
SA M
,-e"$ 1e2is$ra(o" Code:
Organizer Information
Name:
Last Name/First Name
Mailing Address: Email:
Finances
Please complete this section if your event was a fundraiser or if you received financial donations.
Amount Fundraised:
$
*Do not include monies from financial donations recorded on your Donation Tracker form.
If you received financial donations please complete the Donation Tracker form and indicate your total amount here.
$
*Please mail original copies of your Donation Tracker forms and all cheques/money orders to address below. Do not mail cash. All cheques/money orders payable to Dalhousie University/Child Soldiers Initiative.
Mailing Date: MM/DD/YYYY
Child Soldiers Initiative c/o Pearson Peacekeeping Center
Zero Force is a campaign by the Child Soldiers Initiative
HCI Building 1125 Colonel By. Dr Suite 5110, Ottawa, ON, CANADA K1S5B6
Appendix 3
DONATION TRACKER To be completed by any individual making a financial donation in support of Zero Force.
Our team sends you a Gour dona0on to Hero Iorce Jrings us one step closer to ending the use of child soldiers for future genera0ons. 4e 5on6t stop our e8orts and 5e thank you <or suppor(n/ us=
SA M
PL
!"#$%&'()%#$%&'(%*+,%-.($'+%/*+0+1%2'%)*3.%*%4+*+5#*6% 7'+*0'+%2'%8.('%9'(5.:;"#67%<'67#.($%=+#0*0>.?%% @.%$A(.%2'%#+7#5*2.%*66%7'+*0'+$%/"#5"%(.BA#(.%*%2*C%(.5.#-2? Print clearly and photocopy addi0onal pages if necessary. When completed, mail all original forms/cheques/money orders to the address indicated here. DO NOT MAIL CASH DONATIONS
+vent .e/istra(on Code:
Donations
Make cheques and money orders payable to: Dalhousie University/Child Soldiers !ni(a(ve Memo: Zero Force Event
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!nstruc(ons
Child Soldiers Ini0a0Ke c/o Pearson Peacekeeping Center HCI Building 1125 Colonel By Dr Suite 511Q, ORaSa, ON K1S 5B6 CANADA
Page ___ of ___
Name:
Donation Amount:
Mailing Address: Email:
Phone: Name:
Tax Receipt Required: Yes
No
Donation Amount:
Mailing Address: Email:
Phone: Name:
Tax Receipt Required: Yes
No
Donation Amount:
Mailing Address:
Tax Receipt Required:
Email: Phone:
Yes
No
Donation Amount:
Name: Mailing Address:
Tax Receipt Required:
Email: Phone:
Yes Zero Force is a campaign by the Child Soldiers Initiative
Appendix 4
No