Kommentar, distribueret af UNICEF på vegne af Netværket af krigsramte børn:
NEW YORK, 20 November 2008: “We, a group of former child soldiers and survivors of armed conflict in different capacities, are pleased to announce today the launch of the Network of Former Children Affected by War (NYPAW) to help children whose lives have been derailed by conflict.
As young people who have endured conflict in our respective countries and who are all too familiar with the toll it exacts on children’s emotional, social, physical, psychosocial and academic development, we are determined to help children whose fate has been similar to ours regain their confidence and their lives.
Way too many children are witnessing the horrors of war: It is estimated that 1,5 billion children – two thirds of the world’s child population – live in the 42 countries affected by violent, high-intensity conflict between 2002 and 2006.
Building on our own experiences, NYPAW seeks to speak up for the rights of all these children and to find concrete measures to prevent the use of children in war.
We also hope to remind the world of how resilient children are, when given the right support. We are best-selling authors, renowned musicians, and youth advocates who hope to serve as role models to all those whose lives have been affected by violence.
With guidance from United Nations, including UNICEF and the Office of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and with the assistance of War Child Holland and the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN, NYPAW will use education and art – including writing, public speaking, poetry, music, painting, storytelling and theatre – to raise awareness to the plight of children living in conflict zones and provide them with the necessary support.
NYPAW will also serve as a conduit linking children caught in conflict with governments, international organizations, civil society and the media.
As individuals, our strength has been our belief that we could overcome the traumas we have faced in times of war. But united as NYPAW, our strength is being able to communicate our experiences and to help affect change for the other children currently struggling in conflict countries and support the reconciliation process in countries emerging from war That is our hope. That is our mission.”
NYPAW
