The Africa Region Workshop on Children’s Participation was conducted as a follow up to the two years’ evaluation and research on Children's participation in armed conflict, post conflict and peace building that was implemented in four countries and regions; Bosnia-Herzegovina, Guatemala, Nepal and Uganda between 2006 and 2008. Children and young people from the four countries took part in the evaluation in different ways such as consultants; co-researchers; development workers and peace builders. Country Reports were produced, as were many other materials emphasising the fact that children and young people’s contributions to peace building were valuable especially if sought in a manner easily intelligible to children and young people. (Click here to see publications).
In Uganda, children and young people from Gulu hosted the evaluation and research 2006 - 2008, coming from 12 clubs /associations of children and youth. The capacities built within the clubs and associations, as well as individual children/young people, teachers, parents and other caregivers has enabled the children/young people in Gulu to make more tangible contributions to peace building and conflict resolution. The perhaps most remarkable achievement was the fact that a clause on consideration of children’s participation was inserted in the Peace and Reconciliation Agreement (PRA) between the Government of Uganda and LRA.
Ambassador Gaustadsæther in action under guidance of the participant from Zimbabwe. Photo: Save the Children in UgandaThe regional workshops have a twofold purpose namely to follow up the evaluation/research, and to contribute to the Norwegian Government's policy to increasing the international recognition of using capacities and roles of children and young people in conflict prevention, peace- and reconciliation processes (
as stated in White paper 13 Climate, Conflict and Capital).
The Africa Region Workshop, hosted by Save the Children in Uganda had participation from six other African countries. Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda were ably represented by children and young people ranging from the age of 11 – 18 years; and accompanied by Save the Children and their Partner Staff. This combination of participations in the workshop assured the continuity of action plans developed at the close of the workshop, noting in particular that the adults in the workshop also got first hand tips and skills on how to support the children and young people technically and in the area of resource mobilisation.
At the Africa Region Workshop, the participants were introduced to child-friendly and participatory research and evaluation tools by the children who had participated in the evaluation back in 2006 – 2008. Judging from the response of the novices to the tools, the tools were a great success and calls were made to conduct even more training for other children and young people carrying out activities of different kinds in the different countries on the continent.
The various experiences of the group participating at the workshop also brought forth the need to facilitate sharing of information and practice amongst children, and to increase the intensity of such sharing that is already happening amongst adults. Whereas the topic of the workshop focused on children’ participation in armed conflict and peace building, half of the participants were new to the rigour of armed conflict, yet were keen to understand its impact on their peers, and displayed strong willingness to participate in regional initiatives to advocate for better protection of children during times of war. Of course for Uganda, the workshop was very timely and relevant, coming out of a 20 years’ armed conflict in which children have borne the brunt of its brutality.
The representatives of the Embassy enjoyed listening to and watching the presentations of children on peace messages, what they had learnt about how to transform comflict into peace, plans for continuing regional networking and how to address their governments.
In his closing remarks the Ambassador said that the importance of actively involving children in decision making processes that would have influence on their own lives and their wider community has since the establishment of the UN Convention of the Rights if the Child, become gradually more important in Norway’s policy towards developing countries. This implies an increasing awareness of the role children can play with regard to conflict prevention, mitigation and in peacebuilding.
He further said that the Norwegian Government has obliged itself to contribute to broader international understanding of the use of children and youth in conflict prevention, peace and reconciliation and that this initiative by Save the Children thus is of great relevance and interest to the Norwegian Government.