Video of TED x Talk-Demobilization of child soldiers, A story of change

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j964XqRWfNI&feature=youtu.be


The use of children as combatants in conflicts is amongst the most egregious violations of human and child rights and is a practice that continues unabated. I feel that it is a humanitarian imperative to persuade political and military leaders of both state and non state entities that the military is no place for a child and the use of humanitarian diplomacy is an important tool to help achieve that. In Sudan, a decade ago, it was possible to demobilize children during an armed conflict – rather than waiting for it to end and loss of a generation of children to war – through quiet and determined persuasion and advocacy as well as astute and decisive leadership at all levels. I was UNICEF’s, Chief of Field Office for Southern Sudan at the time of the negotiations and led the demobilization of nearly 3551 child soldiers during an ongoing conflict. I highlight the point that the world cannot afford to wait for conflicts to end for children to be removed from militias and militaries and it is possible to demobilize them

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