Children in armed conflict deserve a chance at life! : CO-PEACE Concept Note : Core Support Group of Former UNICEF Staff

Announcement shared by Mary Racelis

Dear Friends,

Here is the Final CO-PEACE Concept Note, worked on by a stalwart core group over many months. Many of you have contributed to it at some point. We have dated it October 24 in commemoration of United Nations Day.

The Concept Note is a work in progress and can be updated and revised as needed. For now it will be the version sent out to NGOs, CSOs, UNICEF and UN Agencies, and where sought, business entities and governments.. If you wish to forward it to others interested in this effort, please go ahead and do so.

Happy United Nations Day!
Mary

Children in armed conflict deserve a chance at life!

CO-PEACE

CORRIDORS OF PEACE WITH AND FOR CHILDREN EVERYWHERE

Armed conflict across the globe is inflicting untold suffering on millions of children and their families. While much of the world looks on with apparent helplessness and political adversaries fail to reach reconciliation and consensus, thousands of children are dying, injured, displaced and orphaned. Too many adults simply shrug their shoulders with resignation citing, “collateral damage” – then do nothing.

As former UNICEF practitioner-retirees re-uniting through CO-PEACE, we urge civil society organizations to engage with and support affected community groups struggling toward a better future for their children and families in conflict-ridden and war-torn countries!

A CALL TO CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS -- IT IS TIME WE:

Activate and Accelerate civil society organisations (CSOs) to play our transformative roles on the ground – where children are. Identify and empower local groups in the warring countries -- communities, families and the children themselves -- to make their voices heard. Enable them to take action for children’s survival, development, protection and participation. Children deserve a better future!

Demand concerted action in conflict areas, creating safe spaces where humanitarian efforts can reach these innocent victims of warfare.

Find Ways of convincing the warring parties -- government and opposition groups -- to suspend the fighting for the sake of beleaguered child victims. Urge them to create zones of peace for children for specified periods of time, thereby enabling the entry of humanitarian teams. They can then reach thousands of needy children in besieged areas with food, clothing, shelter, health care, vaccinations and hope.

Enable community groups, activated mainly by women and youth, to identify the priority issues affecting children; enable them to organise and take action on those issues as empowered citizens; ensure the participation of children in identifying agreed actions; facilitate mutually beneficial partnerships between affected communities and local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based groups and like-minded CSOs.

Assist governments in consultation with affected communities and their partner CSOs to institutionalise effective and sustainable community practices that support distressed and frightened children beyond the next set of political leaders.

Utilise information technology and social media to increase public awareness of what they as civil society proponents can do to bring about positive changes for children in warfare and beyond.

Promote progressive mass movements and global alliances that create solidarity and collaboration toward a more just and equitable new world order for children, their families and communities.

Hold accountable all warring parties and civilian perpetrators for all violations of child and human rights, including but not limited to war crimes, recruitment of child soldiers and violations of international humanitarian law.

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As principles, norms and legislative frameworks, CO-PEACE work is rooted in adherence to child rights as contained in the Convention for the Rights of the Child (CRC), international humanitarian standards such as “Sphere”, international humanitarian law, Convention for Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other global treaties, conventions and standards.

CO-PEACE identifies potential partner organisations, especially those inspired by grassroots initiatives, people power, community mobilisation or collective movements. It emphasizes partnerships reliant on women- and youth-led groups. Governments and inter-governmental entities may also be considered as partners, provided they adhere to the CO-PEACE code of ethics highlighting independence, impartiality, compassion and professionalism.

CO-PEACE is currently collaborating with the International Network on Peace Building (INPB); an umbrella organisation established over two decades ago. INPB addresses the needs of women and children as the groups most devastated by conflict and warfare worldwide. Thus, young children are placed at the heart of peace-building initiatives in Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Palestine, South Africa and Tajikistan; INPB’s early childhood care and education (ECCE) programs integrate processes for a culture of peace.

Major advocacy networks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Palestine, Somalia, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen call on the United Nations and other agencies to address the long-term impact of conflict on children. As part of their commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for quality education, peace, justice and strong institutions, their efforts prioritise children’s rights, psychosocial development and the contentious effects of armed conflict and military occupation.

CO-PEACE supports fundraising efforts and offers knowledge drawn from years of work in conflict-affected countries. It helps facilitate learning workshops while mobilising efforts to attract like-minded individuals and groups. Its core activities include advocacy for effective emergency preparedness and response. These activities aim to equip participants with essential tools and skills to respond effectively. Its efforts are planned to be continuous, regularly updated, and adapted to the diverse needs of learners. Covered in the learning modules are critical topics such as early childhood care and emergency preparedness, aligned with the CO-PEACE agenda.

The curriculum on emergencies is also tailored to develop specific skills relevant to the communities we serve, ensuring they meet the affected persons’ pressing needs. It identifies suitable training manuals and topics, with particular attention to mental health, community participation and early childhood care. Success stories from striving communities are gathered to assess where CO-PEACE can add value to ongoing grounded initiatives.

The millions of children we served for many years, collectively as UNICEF staff in both peaceful and conflict situations, inform and strengthen our advocacy. We share the challenge of ordinary citizens worldwide eager to help define a new and more just world order. We, too, yearn for more peaceful, equitable and prosperous lives for all.

Inspired by the challenges facing the world’s citizenry to contribute to that goal, CO-PEACE believes that people everywhere should benefit and lead more peaceful, equitable and prosperous lives. In developing a futuristic, child-centred, people oriented and non-confrontational effort, we pray that it will unite multiple forces for good. Our vision to give all children a happy, peaceful future aims to inspire and motivate people-centred groups everywhere to pursue their own progressive visions and goals. Together we can support the hopes and actions of conflict-affected women, children and men to generate waves of public pressure for positive universal change.

Children need a happy and peaceful future -- it is time to act!

 

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For further information, contact Karthika Pillai, CO-PEACE 

Core Support Group of Former UNICEF Staff   Years in UNICEF

David Bassiouni, former Deputy Director Office

of Emergency Programmes (EMOPs)                                                                        26

Kul Gautam, former Deputy Executive Director UNICEF                     35

Richard Jolly, former Deputy Executive Director                             18

Mehr Khan-Williams, former Deputy High Commissioner, OHCHR                 31

Baquer Namazi, former UNICEF Representative, Egypt                     14

Mary Racelis, former UNICEF Regional Director, Eastern/Southern Africa     13

Rima Salah, former Deputy Executive Director                                           23

Karin Sham Poo, former Deputy Executive