RIC-NET STAFF BUILDS CAPACITY IN CHILD PROTECTION IN CONFLCIT SITUATIONS

RIC-NET’s Executive Director Mr. John M Silco participated in the  training course on Child Protection organized by the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC), in conjunction with the Eastern Africa Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM) from the 5^th to 16^th June 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Participants in the Child protection Training Course

The course brought together a total of 27 participants drawn from Military, Police, Correction and Civilians (NGOs) from eight countries namely, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Zambia.

The course which was supported by the Government of Denmark had the objectives of enhancing the participant’s understanding of Child Protection (CP), developing strategies for the prevention and response to violations against children associated with armed conflicts, creating  a common understanding among the different  Child Protection  actors during peace Support Operations (PSO) and clarify coordination of different contributions  from several actors such as the  host Government, Humanitarian Agencies, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and  UN/AU. Children are not only involved in conflict (child soldiers) but are also victims of such conflicts since the children make up about 52 % of Africa’s population.

Receiving certificate from Col. I Jaldesa and Col. Claus Pedersen

The ten day course employed various approaches and activities including syndicate discussions, presentations, theory presented in a lecture format and observations among others which enabled participants to develop knowledge and skills required in Child Protection in PSOs. The course highlighted the conflict and post-conflict situations that expose the dynamics context that entails children protection during Peace Support Operations (PSO). 

celebrating our graduation as Child protection officers.

\A team of facilitators with rich, exciting experiences shared both challenging and enlightening presentations, case studies & stories, videos, pictures on child protection praxis. The various presenters brought out clearly among others the conceptual understanding of child protection, the six grave child protection violations and the legal frameworks and the expected responses from different actors in PSO. Participants discussed the integrated approach to different scenarios for children protection and dilemmas in different context.  They prepared the participants to appreciate diversity, doing the right thing and putting the best interest of the child first apart from self defence.