Children and Armed Conflict- social and psychological responses to armed conflict and terrorism

Most countries in the world have been affected by armed conflict and terrorism. The deepest wounds of this atrocity are borne by the children. They are left traumatized by the resulting experience of the war that they least... [ view full abstract ]

Most countries in the world have been affected by armed conflict and terrorism. The deepest wounds of this atrocity are borne by the children. They are left traumatized by the resulting experience of the war that they least understand. They internalize this by blaming themselves, their families, the society, the government or international agencies for the conflict. This unspoken anger, bitterness and guilt builds up gradually as the conflict takes toll, people are displaced from their native land, lives are lost and property is ravaged. Children become easy targets of recruit by the warring forces. They are armed and dangerous. Society becomes fragmented as parents and care takers lose their influence on their children. This disintegration and devastation of the community calls for a social and psychological response to restore these children to normal development. The social response should be primarily preventive at the family and community level where children discuss their contacts and relationships with adults and peers to address juvenile recruitment trends. During the conflict, parents and caretakers need to listen their children anxiety and reassure them of safety and peace. This helps in easing the built-up tension in children. Effort should be made to ensure that the education system goes on uninterrupted as this helps in building resilience and providing psychic energy. The social activities, structure and routine that children engage in such as games is effective and need to be encouraged. The military and peacekeeping forces can play a pivotal role in holding sessions with children to allay their fears. The international community should closely monitor arms transfers and impose a total ban on arms shipments to conflict zones. Since the scars of conflict and terrorism run deeper there is need to set up rehabilitation programs and centers to continue supporting the affected children.