Celebrating the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers in Goma

25 fév 2014

Celebrating the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers in Goma

Goma, 25 February 2014 - In commemoration of the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers (12 February 2014), the Child Protection Section (CPS) in Goma hosted a week of activities aimed at raising awareness on the prevention of child recruitment.

From 14-16 February 2014, CPS-Goma participated in the Amani Festival, an international music and dance extravaganza, which took place at Mwanga Stadium in Goma, North Kivu.

In keeping with the festival’s aim to promote peace and the rebuilding of peaceful relationships among the citizens of North Kivu, the Section displayed information on its mandate and disseminated promotional materials communicating the anti-child recruitment theme, “Plus Jamais de Kadogo.” Werrason’s song, bearing the same title, was launched at the event and broadcasted from the main stage during the festival.

CPS team members actively engaged a wide cross-section of the public and took the opportunity to sensitize individuals against the recruitment of children and the larger role played by the Section in the protection of children’s rights in situations of armed conflict. The CPS display was visited, most notably, by Martin Kobler, chief of MONUSCO; Julien Paluku, North Kivu Governor; Naason Kubuya Ndoole, Mayor of Goma and Barbara Bentein, UNICEF Country Representative.

CPS-Goma brought the week to a close on 19 February 2014 in Kiwanja (Rutshuru Territory), where it facilitated a workshop for 66 participants on the theme “Involvement of Traditional Authorities in the Prevention of Child Recruitment by Armed Forces and Groups.”

The list of participants included the Representative of the Territory Administrator, traditional and local authorities, the FARDC Military Prosecutor and other officers, Congolese national police commanders, civil society organizations and several children from the surrounding community.

During the workshop, CPS-Goma made a presentation on its mandate, the current situation of child protection Rutshuru Territory, with a particular emphasis on children associated with armed forces and groups, and the challenges confronting actors in the field. The movie, “Les Frères Kadogo”, (Brother Kadogo), which provided an exposé on grave child rights violations, was shown. “Kadogo” is the local term for “child-soldier”.

During group sessions, participants discussed the role of traditional chiefs in the prevention of child recruitment, and made two recommendations: the role played by MONUSCO and that of traditional and local authorities should be accentuated in the promotion of peaceful existence between different communities; and traditional chiefs and parents should be sensitized to denounce the perpetrators of recruitment of children.

After the workshop, two football matches for boys and girls, respectively, took place in the afternoon. Sensitization sessions against the recruitment and use of child soldiers were conducted during the games.

Werrason’s song, “Plus Jamais de Kadogo,” was broadcasted on four (4) community radio stations in Kiwanja and Rutshuru. Ms. Carline Allen, Head of CP-Goma, gave an interview to a local radio station. Banners were displayed in both Rutshuru and Kiwanja.

Both activities provided an excellent opportunity for CPS-Goma to increase visibility on its mandate and on-going efforts to prevent the recruitment of children by armed groups in North Kivu.

Carline Allen/MONUSCO