The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) has launched a specialized course to strengthen member states’ ability to protect children in armed conflict zones. The "Children and Armed Conflict" course, held at the United Nations Regional Service Centre in Entebbe, Uganda, is aimed at enhancing the capacity of military, police, and civilian personnel from ten EASF member nations to address the issue of child protection in conflict environments.
Brigadier General Peter Gaetano Omola, Commander of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre, highlighted the devastating toll of armed conflicts on children, including forced recruitment, violence, and exploitation. "As representatives of nations committed to peace and security, we bear a collective responsibility to protect these vulnerable members of our society," Brig. Gen. Omola said during his opening remarks.
The course, which brought together participants from countries including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, focuses on equipping peace support operations personnel with the skills and knowledge needed to address child protection challenges in line with international standards. Lead facilitator Anthony Ombara emphasized that protecting children is both a "moral and legal imperative," urging participants to act to safeguard children from the horrors of war.
Allen Ruhangataremwa from the EASF Secretariat noted that the course aligns with regional and international child protection frameworks, helping personnel prevent and respond to violations against children in armed conflict zones. This initiative comes in the wake of a recent report by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, which highlights severe breaches of international humanitarian law, disproportionately affecting children.
Participants from the EASF’s ten member states, including Somalia, Sudan, and Rwanda, will leave the training with enhanced capabilities to support child protection in future peace support missions.
