The Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) has opened a Children and Armed Conflict Course aimed at bolstering member states’ capacities to address the pressing issue of children in armed conflict.

The course, which attracted military police and civilian participants from ten EASF member states, seeks to enhance understanding of conflict dynamics and their impact on children, while fostering collaboration and shared insights.

In his opening remarks at the United Nations Regional Service Centre Entebbe, Brigadier General Peter Gaetano Omola, the Commander of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre, emphasized the critical role of the EASF in providing the African Union with the necessary capabilities to respond to conflicts through peace missions and interventions.

He underscored the devastating consequences faced by millions of children worldwide due to armed conflict, including forced recruitment as child soldiers, 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 stated.

The lead facilitator of the course Anthony Ombara said that the it aims to enhance the collective capacity of peace support operations personnel to prevent and respond to issues related to child protection. “It is there for our moral and legal imperative do everything in our power to shift children from the horror of War.”

Ombara highlighted the severe physical and psychological trauma suffered by children during conflicts, stating that, “Children are the most affected and the most valuable victims are during conflicts, they suffer physical and psychological trauma.”

Ms. Allen Ruhangataremwa from the EASF Secretariat noted that the training will equip peace support operations personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent and respond to child protection issues during their assignments, aligning with regional and international standards.

The participants of the course were drawn from the 10 Eastern Africa Standby Force Member States including; Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda, which are signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Eastern Africa Standby Force.

According to the Annual Report of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict from the period of August 2023 to July 2024, children have disproportionately suffered from the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law and severe breaches of international human rights law by parties to conflict.