Prevention and Reintegration of Children Involved in Armed Conflict:  An Inter-Regional Program

AFRICA/Burundi, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda; LATIN AMERICA/Colombia; ASIA/Philippines, Sri Lanka

September 2003 – May 2007

FY2003:  $7,000,000

In 2001 it was estimated that 300,000 children were serving with armed units around the world.  Child soldiers are exposed to the risk of death and serious injury, HIV/AIDS, sexual abuse, as well as serious trauma and psychological damage.  While they are working as soldiers, they miss out on their education and other opportunities to develop social and economic skills.  Peace, security, and future economic development in their countries depend on efforts to demobilize, rehabilitate and reintegrate former child soldiers, and support their communities of origin.

• This project targets 5,264 former child soldiers and other war-affected youth, with a special emphasis on girls, for withdrawal from exploitive child labor. It also targets 4,250 vulnerable youth for prevention from entering exploitive and/or hazardous child labor. The overall withdrawal and prevention targets are divided among each of the participating countries:

• Burundi: 1, 444 withdrawn; 500 prevented

• Republic of Congo: 200 withdrawn, 500 prevented

• Democratic Republic of the Congo: 2,000 withdrawn; 2,000 prevented

• Rwanda: 200 withdrawn; 600 prevented

• Colombia: 560 withdrawn; 500 prevented

• Philippines: 200 withdrawn; 50 prevented

• Sri Lanka: 660 withdrawn; 100 prevented

Development Objective:  To contribute to the reduction of the incidence of children serving in armies and/or in armed groups through the following three immediate objectives.  At the end of the project:

• There will be an enabling environment in each country, facilitating the prevention, withdrawal and subsequent reintegration into society of children involved in armed conflict;

• Former child soldiers above the minimum working age will be assisted to acquire decent work and achieve a sustainable income;

• Fewer children will be recruited into armed conflict in the targeted countries.

• Ensure that legislation is in place and in line with the country’s international treaty obligations concerning child soldiers, and that appropriate procedures and monitoring mechanisms are in place to enforce the legal bans on recruitment;

• Build the capacity and expertise of government institutions to address the problem;

• Develop the knowledge base, facilities and opportunities for the economic reintegration of former child soldiers;

• Facilitate and support the economic reintegration of former child soldiers through the provision of basic supplies, education and training, and financial support;

• Support the communities to which child soldiers are reintegrating;

• Develop and implement special initiatives to facilitate the reintegration of girl soldiers and other categories of child soldiers facing particular difficulty;

• Prevent the further recruitment of child soldiers;

• Enhance information sharing on child soldiers within the Central African sub-region.

• As of March 2007, the project has withdrawn 4,166 children and prevented 2,853 children from exploitive and/or hazardous child labor.

International Labor Organization’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC)

UNICEF, World Bank, others to be determined.

Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking
 (202) 693-4843

• ILAB Mission Statement
• Leadership
• Organization
• Key Personnel

• OCFT
• OIR
• OTLA

• Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
• Executive Order 13126