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NOTE FOR THE RECORD on Children as Zones of Peace (CZOP) ZOOM MEETING MAY 14, 2021
Theme of meeting:
Promoting the concept and practice of Children as Zones of Peace (CZOP) with focus on Syria and Yemen
Participants:
The following XUNICEF Colleagues met via Zoom on May 14, 2021 to discuss ideas on operationalizing the principles and philosophy of CZOP:
1. David Bassiouni
2. Kul Gautam
3. Agop Kayayan
4. Tom McDermott
5. Niloufar Pourzand
6. Baquer Namazi
7. Mary Racelis
8. Rima Salah
Note: Sir Richard Jolly had earlier indicated his full support for this initiative
The meeting began at 9:00 a.m. DST and ended at 10:40 a.m DST
Moderator: Mary Racelis
Agenda:
Putting together a visionary plan of action that is both doable and invigorating.
Identifying and mobilizing international civil society groups with mandate and goals consistent with the objectives of the action plan and ability to transform the programme into a global mass movement
Lobbying with key partners and donors to support the action
Dividing the work ahead among team members based on interest and experience and the expectation that other XUNICEF members will be willing to join once they learn of this initiative.
Main Conclusions and Recommendations of the meeting:
Address the need to stop the escalating killing, rape and atrocities attacking children caught in violence and civil conflicts. These unconscionable events have reached such unacceptable proportions that operationalizing and applying the principles and practices of CZOP now emerge as an urgent concern. All conscientious, committed individuals, communities and civil society organizations need to come together to scale-up practical actions aimed at reducing suffering and saving lives.
Focus on ACTION using bottom-up participatory approaches, engaging all stakeholders, while prioritizing communities as initiators and owners of the processes
Clarify what can be done through specific actions such as advocacy, awareness creation, networking, facilitating information and knowledge sharing, etc
Encourage the establishment of a movement of Friends of Children in Armed Conflict (FoCAC) with the initial participants of this consultation offering their support both individually and as a group, as appropriate, to identified younger generations of NGO/Civil Society Organization Leaders, already engaged in working with children in conflict, to nurture and carry the movement to full development.
Welcome the involvement of XUNICEF members while also reaching out beyond the United Nations and UNICEF to include others actively engaged in child protection in conflict situations.
Develop a working relationship with the United Nations through Madame Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children in Armed Conflict (whose Annual Report for January 1 – December 2020) is to be released soon), and Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF EMOPS Director. Efforts here would move toward a wider collaboration and alliance with Civil Society groups already engaged with children caught in armed conflict. These would include NGOs, faith-based groups, community associations, labor organizations, academics and media personalities.
List well-known Civil Society partners like Save the Children, Oxfam, SEWA, Norwegian Refugee Council and others, bringing in gender and generational concerns.
Collaborate on a regional basis, being cognizant particularly of the deplorable plight of children in the Middle East, prioritizing Syria and Yemen, and adding Afghanistan, Ethiopia and Palestine.
Document cases of child abuse in armed conflict
Help create a forum to hear the voices of children and youth
Invite key figures involved in child protection work such as Martin Griffith, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, and former UNICEF program officer, SEWA’s Reema Nanavati, UN Secretary General’s representative for children in armed conflict, etc to talk about their work to the FoCAC group and actions the latter might take.
Tap XUNICEF members in communications and media to develop forceful and timely messages promoting an action plan to raise awareness of the enormity of the challenge, enhance global consciousness and help mobilize groups for action.
The Media Action package includes Agop Kayayan’s proposed film on advocacy and awareness creation and the agenda for Children as Zones of Peace in the Middle East. The FoCAC forthcoming Declaration or Statement would also draw on the skills and experience of Moncef Bouhafa, former UNICEF communications specialist. A Visionary Note will be crafted working towards a post-corona child-friendly new world order with peace and justice for all.
Next Steps
Identify those members of XUNICEF who were directly involved in CZOP and may be willing to make inputs and offer advice on what can be done and how to do it; profile able and active retirees who indicate they are available to offer their services in the field.
ACTION 1: David, Baquer and participant-volunteers
Develop and release the FoCAC Declaration or Statement calling on World Leaders, World Advocacy Groups, Civil Society Organizations and Concerned Citizens to take steps to stop the killings, rape and brutalizing of children caught in warfare and relieve their suffering. Simultaneously announce the formation of Friends of Children in Armed Conflict.
ACTION 2: Mary to take lead working closely with Agop and Moncef; David and Baquer to make inputs to first draft
3. Detail the action plan package building in the points raised above.
ACTION 3: Participants at the meeting to volunteer working with David and
Baquer; other XUNICEFers who may wish to join
Develop a Visionary Note on working towards a post-corona child-friendly new
world order with peace and justice for all
ACTION 4: Moncef, Agop, Baquer, David, Mary and participant-volunteers
Identify (from the list provided earlier) Potential Civil Society Partners and others
with whom FoCAC can work closely and encourage them to assume the responsibility of promoting CZOP and internalizing it in their work with children caught in armed conflict. XUNICEF individuals with this particular experience can volunteer to help.
ACTION 5: All participants at the meeting; other interested XUNICEFers
Start making contact with potential partners. Mary to contact Oxfam and Save the
Children, Rima to contact UNSG’s Representative V. Gamba, Tom to contact Martin Griffith and possibly Geir Pedersen, Special Envoy for Syria, and Baquer to contact SEWA
ACTION 6: Participants at the meeting
7. Request Tom to share note on zoom meeting in News and Notes
ACTION 7: David and Baquer to request Tom once this Note has been
approved by the meeting participants.
8. Hold a follow-up meeting in two weeks, e.g. the first week of June 2021.
ACTION 8: David, Baquer and Mary in consultation with the participants.
*Drafted by Baquer Namazi, David Bassiouni and Mary Racelis, May 15-16, 2021
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