CRITERIA

ACTIONS TAKEN

DATA

LESSONS LEARNED

PREVENTION

1- Documentation of child rights violation

No information available

2- Appropriate situation analyses

3- Advocacy at political level

4- Advocacy at community level

5- Promotion of humanitarian principles

6- Local values taken into account

7- Traditional mechanisms of child protection taken into account/strengthened.

8- Special protection measures

9- Revision of legislation/political agreement

10- Monitoring of impact of prevention

11- Coordination

12- Capacity building

DEMOBILIZATION

• Preparation

13- Main strategy/priorities

Priority given to the transfer of the children to Renamo civilian zones and to immediate familly and community reunification. Follow-up of network of social workers.

A specific programme of demobilisation for child soldiers was not considered in the Rome Peace Agreement

UNICEF needs to advocate at an earlier stage for the demobilisation of child soldiers

14- Advocacy for children prisoners of war

15- The issue of children involved in armed conflict integrated in negotiation of peace agreement

16- Advocacy/negotiation for demobilization

Negotiations with Renamo to release child soldiers. Started in 93 in close coordination with the uNOHAC. UNICEF signed a MOU with Renamo in January 94. Effective demobilisation of Renamo child soldiers initiated only in July 94. All negotiation process took more than 18 months

NYHQ should provide clear advice to country offices on the possible need to confront government on specific issues

17- Assessment of the number/localization of the children

Done

-» 850 children were registered.

18- Specific assessment of the situation of girls

19- Assessment of the children’s needs

Done during the visits to the Renamo military bases. Government did not acknowledged the presence of child soldiers in its ranks. UNICEF failed to advocate for these children.

20- Participation of the children in the programme design

Programme priorities (family/community reunification) were defined accordingly

21- Specific demobilization programme (distinct from the adults’ one)

Specific project for Renamo child soldiers. Government child soldiers wereincluded in the regular demobilisation programme. Some Renamo military commanders disagreed with the specific programme for child soldiers and managed to get child soldiers under their responsibility demobilized through the regular programme. Government child soldiers were included in the regular demobilisation programme

UNICEF advocated successfully at DHA level for a specific programme of demobilisation for child soldiers to be implemented.

Children were directly involved in the management of the transit centers.

· Implementation

22- Transfer of the children under a civilian umbrella

estimated that it corresponds to 50% of the number of child soldiers in Renamo camps at the time of peace agreement

23- Transition phase, registration, assessment of their status

Registration. Gathering of basic information and 2 pictures. Assessment of their health and nutritional status. A study on the children’s condition was carried out and distributed to main partners.

-The study helped partners finding appropriate mechanisms to help the children.

24- Assurance of the children security

25- Access to health

26- Access to specialized psychosocial support

27- Benefits accorded to demobilized children

Different package from the adults. No payment of demobilization incentive.

28- Monitoring of the activity

29- Coordination

Close cooperation with ICRC and SCF-US. Logistical support of ONUMOZ

30- Prevention of re-recruitment

REINTEGRATION

31- Main Strategy

Priority to family and community reintegration

Proved to be the best solution considering the attitude of the communities.

-Priority to family and community reintegration.

32- Consultation of the children

33- Housing for unaccompanied CS

UNICEF guaranteed shelter, food, water and sanitation and medical assistance. The children took charge of the internal organization of the camps. WFP, UNHCR, UNDRO-DHA, ICRC, MSF/France and Switzerland, Action Nord-Sud, CVM and Terre des Hommes: supervised centres, provided personnel

34- Family tracing/foster family mechanism

Done

-During reunification, it is important to give particular attention to proper registration of the name and location of the family to facilitate follow-up.

35- Assessment of the community willingness to reintegrate the children

36- Family community sensitization

37- Assistance to caregivvers

38- Identification /use/strengthening of local resources

Trauma counseling: Communities carried out special purification ceremonies for both ex child and adult soldiers. Were also a process of forgiveness by the community. Ex-child soldiers are regularly monitored by traditional healers.

Importance of local traditions for reintegration programmes.

39- Follow-up/Access to specialized psychosocial support

UNICEF carried out a pilot project that focused on individuals.

40- Access to formal/informal education, vocational training based on market assessment, income generating projects

The pilot project did not correspond to the community approach of the problem

-Need to avoid stigmatization of former child soldiers

41- Policies to promote access to health/ psychosocial support/education for special target groups

"Peace, Education Project" (not specific for ex-child soldiers).

*child to child assistance

43- Family/individual access to credit schemes

44- Participation of ex child soldiers to policy advocacy

45- Follow-up on social reintegration

The activity addressed not only ex-child soldiers but all children reunified. Social workers monitored children’s social reintegration, identified other needs and proposed of locally adapted solutions.

-Many local initiatives are direct consequence of the Home Visiting activity and the advocacy work of social workers at local level.

46- Creation of a data-base collecting information on all cases treated

47- Monitoring and evaluation

48- Coordination

A training module on trauma counseling for social workers.

49- Capacity-building

50- Research

51- Children in conflict with the law