DISEÑO ARQUITECTONICO

to reopen schools, rebuild infrastructure or launch back-to-school campaigns (see Panel: Back to school, page 59).

The participation of older children and ado- lescents in times of crisis and conflict is imperative. If they are left without opportu- nities to envision and contribute to a better future, their youthful optimism is frustrated under the extreme conditions of war. Addressing their rights to participation is therefore not negotiable: it is an imperative.

Prevention

Progress: In 1996, there were 22 major armed conflicts worldwide. In 2003, there were 19 such conflicts, the second-lowest annual number since 1990. Yet it is diffi- cult to claim that there has been signifi- cant progress in mediating and resolving conflict. For example, today there are 25 million people in 52 countries who are internally displaced by violence and perse- cution, broadly the same number as in the mid-1990s.

There have been some notable achieve- ments over the past nine years. The long- standing conflict in Angola, still active in 1996, has finally been laid to rest. Huge efforts have been made to bring resolution to conflicts in Burundi, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Yet for every step forward – the ongoing peace process in Sudan after two decades of war between the Government and the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement, for example – there seems to be a step backward, as a new conflict erupts elsewhere or, in the case of Darfur, in a dif- ferent area of the same country. Far from seeming safer, the world at the beginning of the 21st century appears more riven by con- flict and fear – and its dominant political dis- course to be one of war.

Challenges: UNICEF and its partner agen- cies are dedicating a large proportion of their resources to addressing the social and economic inequalities that can lead to violence. By emphasizing outreach to vulnerable groups, including girls, rural

“There are security guards here to protect the students but we are still frightened,” he said. “In the past, we didn’t accompany our children to school because it was safe and no one dared harm them. I’m hopeful that the situation will improve.”

Sahira Ali, who brought her sixth-grade daughter Rusul to take the exam at the Al- Kahira High School for Girls, described her fears as she waited outside the school gates. “Since I got to the school we heard several explosions, and on our way here there was an abduction followed by a police investiga- tion, which delayed our arrival,” she said. Rana Rasheed, a sixth-grader at Al-Kahira High School, said her teachers were unable to complete the curriculum for the year because of ongoing disturbances and lack of security. “Today I arrived at school late because of traffic jams, and then there was another delay because the security guards had to search the school to make sure that nobody had placed explosives inside,” she said. “Our movement is extremely restricted. When we walk in the street we are vigilant and apprehensive, and we are suspicious of any person who looks in our direction. Electricity is rare and studying for exams in this hot weather is an ordeal. We sweat in the exam hall with no fans running over our heads.”

Yet neither the oppressive heat nor the con- stant fear of violence have managed to make Iraq’s children and their parents give up on education. For the children, going to school has become a daily calculated risk, one they hope will bring a better future for themselves and their country.

THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN 2005

communities and the poor, these pro- grammes combat marginalization, defuse tensions and promote effective social inte- gration. UNICEF’s role in lobbying govern- ments to pursue equitable development policies has expanded over the past decade and is helping to equip communities with the tools they need to resolve issues peaceably.

If ever there were children needing their right to protection fulfilled it is those caught up in armed conflict, from those forcibly recruited as soldiers to those who

see their homes and communities

destroyed. But the world also needs to pro- tect millions of children in the future from the damage to their childhood that conflict inflicts. The only sure way of doing so is for the international community to take more urgent and serious steps towards prevent- ing war and resolving existing conflicts.

The way forward

If we are to safeguard children from the brutality of armed conflicts, a number of

Against all odds, children in commu- nities torn apart by war have led the way in creative initiatives to partici- pate and improve their lives. Indonesia:In Maluku, the Christian- Muslim conflict between 1999 and 2002 cost the lives of thousands and left an estimated 1.4 million people internally displaced. Communities continue to be riven by religious intolerance, but since 2002 children have played a leading role in peace- building processes and acted as pos- itive role models in their families and communities. In close collaboration with UNICEF and partners, a Muslim- Christian coalition of child-focused non-governmental organizations launched a campaign that resulted in the creation of a participatory Children’s Parliament, which was held in Ambon in July 2000. This was not only the first children’s par- liament ever convened in Indonesia but also the first major event that successfully crossed the Muslim- Christian divide.

In February 2002, at an event that made national news, young people representing all local religious and

ethnic groups visited the governor’s office as a follow-up to Valentine’s Day, performing songs and distribut- ing red paper flowers that included peace messages. Initial fears that the children’s cross-community collabo- ration might spark violence proved groundless and the growing momen- tum of the initiative has proved a stabilizing force, serving to strength- en dialogue between the groups. Young people have found it easier than adults to cross the cultural and religious divide and have thus become genuine leaders in the peace-building process. Occupied Palestinian Territory: Children’s municipal councils have been set up in Gaza City, Jenin, Jericho and Rafah to give young people an opportunity to plan and implement activities that will help improve and rebuild community life. Of the 155 young council representa- tives, more than half are girls. They meet to decide on priorities, plan and implement small-scale commu- nity projects and organize campaigns to raise awareness on children’s rights and related issues. Such initia- tives can provide a much-needed

alternative to violence and provide children and adolescents with the skills they need to build peace. Russian Federation:In the North Caucasus, children are actively involved in the design of the Mine Risk Education programme imple- mented by the State Chechen Drama Theatre in Grozny. They decide on the best ways to conduct mine-risk education presentations in their com- munities and determine which mes- sages are the most appropriate. They are trained to write the script and stage drama presentations, and then they have the opportunity to put their skills into practice.

In Chechnya and Ingushetia, UNICEF supports a programme on Child Friendly Schooling implemented by the International Rescue Committee, whereby pupils in every school elect a president and a government and are given the opportunity to partici- pate in the planning of activities for the academic year. They are also involved in parent/teacher meet- ings, editing the school newspaper and maintaining discipline among their peers.