Peace and Conflict
180 thousand refugees shared the same camp, after fleeing conflict in Afghanistan.
This fourteen-year-old girl lost both her hands to rebels during the civil war in Sierra Leone.
In Uganda, former child soldiers put on a play to describe life in the bush.
 A family near Beirut investigates their neighborhood after Israeli air strikes. |
The Need The end of the Cold War created much hope—hope that after decades of bloodshed, the world would witness a period of peace. But at the close of 2005, some 60 armed conflicts raged around the globe. Most were in the world’s poorest countries, mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
For children, war creates unthinkable horror. In Africa, thousands of children have been abducted by rebel armies, for use as sex slaves or frontline soldiers. Some have been made to kill their own parents. Children have been maimed in the most horrific ways imaginable, including the amputation of their hands.
In all conflicts, children are forced to flee their homes, their communities and everything familiar. Children are orphaned, or separated from family during the panic of flight. Children languish in refugee camps, unable to attend school. Children who should be dreaming of the future suffer from constant nightmares.
The Advocacy Team’s Response
World Vision sees how children’s rights are trampled during war and in the aftermath. Using experience gained in dozens of conflict-prone regions, our Advocacy team analyzes turbulent situations with children in mind. We lobby the Canadian government, challenging them to protect children’s rights in war and afterward. We strive for improvements to foreign policy and aid strategies, recommending ways to address the challenges children face.
The Advocacy Team: Fighting for Children
Areas of Focus
Sudan, Afghanistan, Northern Uganda and the Middle East are areas the Advocacy team is particularly concerned with.
Resources for Journalists
Fast Facts
- Almost 33 million people are refugees or asylum seekers
- Most war-related deaths don't occur on the battlefield
- 90 per cent come from war-related disease and malnutrition
