Written by David Nosworthy, the report, titled Children and Security Sector Reform in Post-Conflict Peace-Building, reviews the principles of SSR and transitional justice, although its focus is on how to integrate children and youth in these processes. It argues that “engaging children constructively in these processes will assist in successfully establishing long-term stability” (iii). The report is part of a series of papers published by UNICEF that seeks to establish a “child rights-based approach to transitional justice” (iv).
The report contends that the concerns of young people are generally ignored or simplified by treating them as either “victims or demons” (6). As well, the focus in post-conflict reconstruction tends to be on the use of child soldiers and the necessity of disarming, demobilizing, and reintegrating them as part of SSR. Moreover, the “tendency to categorize issues thematically” (e.g. DDR, legal reform, penal reform, etc.) often means that issues affecting children are not dealt with in an integrated and child-centric way (4-5). Consequently, this report considers the wider impact of conflict on children (for example, abduction and rape as tactics of war) and how they should participate in reconstruction (3-4). Read more
