Raise Your Hand: Renewing our Commitment to Children Affected by Conflict

An excerpt from my recent interview with World Vision’s Women of Vision

For the full article/interview click HERE

This entry was posted on February 12, 2013 by Jessica Bousquette- World Vision Adovcacy atWomen of Vision

Nyaranzo (not her real name) looks up to the sky as the sound of gunfire and explosions echo from the horizon. No one needs to tell her what it is. The sound is familiar, it’s the reason she’s on the run, hungry and lonely. Eight-years-old Nyaranzo is among thousands of internally displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo who are homeless because of fighting between government troops and a rebel group. At night, she sleeps in a dusty classroom and during the day her home is a playground. She has no family here – possibly lost as they ran for their lives. The sounds of the explosions bring a lull to those around her. “Maybe my mum is still coming,” she says, her deep sadness and hunger shows in her eyes as she looks up to the sky.

For children around the world, like Nyaranzo, violence and conflict can cause displacement, family separation, hunger, and lack of access to clean water, education, and health care. Because of these things it can also put them at risk for abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence. Displacement and disruption of normal patterns of life weakens the protective environment around children and places them at greater risk for trafficking, neglect, exploitative work, and recruitment into armed forces.

As advocates around the world observe Child Soldier Awareness Day (also known as Red Hand Day) today by asking countries to make a commitment to protecting children affected by conflict, ask our elected leaders to renew our commitment…. So what can you do? Does your action really make a difference? Yes! I had a chance to ask Sarah Sagely Klotz, a former foreign policy Congressional staffer, about her time working to protect children who have been recruited or kidnapped into armed forces.  I asked her what helps legislation move forward and the role advocates can have.

If you want to push something through Congress, you can’t expect it to happen overnight.  It is a long tedious process that could take a few years so you should have the long-term perspective in mind. Advocates play a vital role in not only giving wind to efforts to get something introduced or through Congress, but acting as a resource to Congress.  Advocates not only give passion, but can give a depth of insight and knowledge about certain issues. Members of Congress and their staff are juggling several issues at one time and it is invaluable to have a trusted resource to be able to call and ask for help, insight, and experience.  Once you begin that sort of relationship, when you come back to that Member or staffer for a request, you will certainly have their ear.