Child Development and the Impact of War on Children and Youth Development

1
Child Development and the Impact of War on
Children and Youth Development

• General Assumptions
• Refugee situations are emergency situations
• Refugee children are traumatised
• Education existed for these children in the
  country of origin
• Psycho-social developmental stages is universal

2
Child Development and the Impact of War on
Children and Youth Development

• UNHCR
• Staff not specialised
• Implementing partners have expertise
• Maintenance of Status Quo is more important
  than the window of opportunity approach

3
Child Development and the Impact of War on
Children and Youth Development

• Machel study accepted and acted upon.
• Education is a fundamental right.
• Refugees have the right to be treated equally and
  with dignity and safety.
• Education is a tool of protection

4
Child Development and the Impact of War on
Children and Youth Development

• UNHCRs concern is life and death rather than
  quality of life.
• Education is a development issue.
• Responding to individual needs is very expensive

5
Child Development and the Impact of War on
Children and Youth Development

• UNHCRs Response
• Structured recreation in the first phases of an
  emergency
• Basic education (up to grade 10)
• Close working relationships with UNICEF, RET, and
  IPs
• Life skills to respond to specific needs of
  refugee children (SRH, Health, Peace Education)
• ARC programme to raise awareness of specific
  psycho-social needs of refugee children with
  staff, community leaders, IPs, Government
  authorities etc.
• Networking with agencies to provide secondment
  staff in education and community services to
  prevent and minimise trauma.