Resources on children associated with armed forces and groups

Publications

• Study on the reintegration of children formerly associated with armed forces and groups through informal apprenticeship – Experiences from Korhogo (Ivory Coast) and Bunia (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2011)
  The report synthesizes and analyses the findings of surveys conducted in Ivory Coast and DRC. It describes the use of informal apprenticeship in reintegration programmes for conflict-affected children, assesses the effectiveness of informal apprenticeship as a means of reintegration and presents recommendations for the design and implementation of programmes. The study has been carried-out in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO and the ILO Skills and Employability Department (EMP/SKILLS). This publication also exists in French.
• SCREAM special module on child labour and armed conflict (2011) This SCREAM Special Module will contribute to sensitizing young people around the world about child labour and armed conflict and, in particular, the use of children by armed forces and groups, one of the gravest violations of children’s rights.
• Children formerly associated with armed forces and groups: “How-to” guide on economic reintegration (2010)
  This Guide provides operational and detailed guidance to design and implement the economic component of reintegration programmes for children formerly associated with armed forces and groups and other conflict-affected children. It has been produced in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the ILO and is used as a basis for training. This publication also exists in French: Enfants sortis des forces et groupes armés. Guide pratique pour la réintégration économique.
• Prevention of child recruitment and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and groups: Strategic framework for addressing the economic gap (2007)
  This Strategic Framework brings together knowledge, lessons and good practices developed, tested and validated during the implementation of the IPEC Inter-regional Programme on the Prevention and Reintegration of Children Involved in Armed Conflict (2003-2007 – Burundi, Colombia, Congo, DRC, Rwanda, Philippines and Sri Lanka). This publication also exists in French.
• Wounded Childhood: the use of children in armed conflict in Central Africa (2003)
  This publication synthesizes and analyses the findings of surveys conducted by the IPEC in Burundi, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. It provides information about the causes of the use of children by armed forces and groups, the mechanisms for their recruitment, their living conditions while in the armed groups, the circumstances surrounding their release and their prospects of reintegration. This publication also exists in French.

Multimedia

• “Enfant soldat” (song) (2009)
  This song on children associated with armed forces and groups “Enfant soldat”, composed by Daniel Beaume, was recorded in France in June 2009 with the youth choirs “Jeune Choeur de Lozère” and “Chorale du Collège de Châtel-Guyon. (Format: MP3 - Duration: 6min20 – Size: 7.5 MB).
• From hell to hope: Giving child soldiers a chance to start over (video) (2007)
  This 20 minutes documentary, produced by dev.tv for IPEC, shares some good practices in economic reintegration of children formerly associated with armed forces and groups in the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. It is based on activities of the IPEC Inter-regional Programme on the Prevention and Reintegration of Children Involved in Armed Conflict (2003-2007). The film also exists in French. (Format: Mov – Duration: 20min58– Size: 197 MB)
• Uganda child soldiers (video) (2005)
  A report on forced labour from the International Labour Organization (May 2005) highlights the situation of child soldiers, forced to kill or to serve as sex slaves. In Northern Uganda, some reports suggest that 20.000 children have been abducted and used during a long-running conflict with the Lords Resistance Army in the north of the country. (ILO TV Reports).

Resources on other worst forms of child labour in conflict settings

Publications

• The Worst Forms of Child Labour in conflict and post conflict settings: results from a research project
  This publication provides an overview of a recent study that sheds new light on the linkages between armed conflict and the WFCL. The study was undertaken by the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford (United Kingdom), in conjunction with the IPEC and the International Training Centre of the ILO. This publication also exists in French and in Portuguese.