CHILDREN AT WARCHILDREN AT WAR

NOT PROTECTED WHEN MOST NEEDEDNOT PROTECTED WHEN MOST NEEDED

By Magne Raundalen, Center for Crisis Psychology, BergenBy Magne Raundalen, Center for Crisis Psychology, Bergen

For the Dag Hammarskjöld ProgramFor the Dag Hammarskjöld ProgramChild Soldier Conference at Voksenåsen 6 Nov 2009Child Soldier Conference at Voksenåsen 6 Nov 2009

20 YEARS WITH CRC20 YEARS WITH CRC

THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO THERE ARE MANY REASONS TO CELEBRATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATE THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILDOF THE CHILD

BUT WE HAVE TO FACE THAT IN CASES BUT WE HAVE TO FACE THAT IN CASES OF WAR AND ARMED CONFLICT THE OF WAR AND ARMED CONFLICT THE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN TOTALLY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN TOTALLY UNPROTECTEDUNPROTECTED

CHILDREN AND WAR CHILDREN AND WAR HEADLINESHEADLINES

THE BETRAYALTHE BETRAYAL

THE LOSSTHE LOSS

THE TRAUMATHE TRAUMA

THE BETRAYALTHE BETRAYAL

This concept is meant to cover the This concept is meant to cover the immeasurable cognitive impact among immeasurable cognitive impact among children after wars. The mental work they children after wars. The mental work they have to do when they try to piece together a have to do when they try to piece together a framework to rebuild the trust in the adult framework to rebuild the trust in the adult world after the collapse. They often report that world after the collapse. They often report that they felt being let down and betrayed by the they felt being let down and betrayed by the adult world. adult world.

THE LOSSTHE LOSS

The second aspect of tremendous emotional impact The second aspect of tremendous emotional impact on children in times of war is the loss of lives. Since on children in times of war is the loss of lives. Since modern wars affect more and more civilians, and modern wars affect more and more civilians, and since even children are becoming the target of the since even children are becoming the target of the parties in conflict, the loss of all categories of close parties in conflict, the loss of all categories of close relatives has increased. In the worst-hit areas in an relatives has increased. In the worst-hit areas in an armed conflict, you seldom find a child who is not armed conflict, you seldom find a child who is not affected by loss of a close persons. Almost everyone affected by loss of a close persons. Almost everyone reports loss among close family members, in their reports loss among close family members, in their extended family or network of relatives.extended family or network of relatives.

THE TRAUMATHE TRAUMA

The third issue to cover the mental sufferings of The third issue to cover the mental sufferings of children in war and crisis, is the trauma. War children in war and crisis, is the trauma. War affected children are often haunted by traumatic sense affected children are often haunted by traumatic sense impressions that are stored as anxiety and tension in impressions that are stored as anxiety and tension in their memories. Images and sounds may constantly their memories. Images and sounds may constantly bother the child by returning to the mind as vivid, bother the child by returning to the mind as vivid, sudden and uncontrolled recollections. These sudden and uncontrolled recollections. These recurring, intrusive memories seem to disturb the recurring, intrusive memories seem to disturb the whole network of feelings and thus become very whole network of feelings and thus become very disruptive to other cognitive functions.disruptive to other cognitive functions.

STUDENTS OF WARSTUDENTS OF WAR

Children are scientists, they are constantly Children are scientists, they are constantly doing research, sometimes desperate, to be doing research, sometimes desperate, to be able to understand what is going on around able to understand what is going on around them. They are studying war, peace and them. They are studying war, peace and politics at a much earlier age level than we politics at a much earlier age level than we have imagined.have imagined.

EXPLANATIONSEXPLANATIONS

In the mind of the child the understanding of war may In the mind of the child the understanding of war may become an intolerable and untouchable site of horror become an intolerable and untouchable site of horror and trauma, and it will form a negative network of and trauma, and it will form a negative network of anger and revenge against a demonized enemy. If we anger and revenge against a demonized enemy. If we want it to become, and we should, a cognitive frame want it to become, and we should, a cognitive frame of explanation based on truthful and comprehensible of explanation based on truthful and comprehensible information, we have to include political information, we have to include political understanding. Even if children are correcting and understanding. Even if children are correcting and updating their frames constantly throughout updating their frames constantly throughout childhood, this is a process depending on adult input, childhood, this is a process depending on adult input, adapted for age and developmental level. adapted for age and developmental level.

PROTECTING THE BRAINPROTECTING THE BRAIN

My main issue here and now is that the whole My main issue here and now is that the whole area of research on early child development in area of research on early child development in concert with cognitive neuroscience have sent concert with cognitive neuroscience have sent warning signals related to early adverse warning signals related to early adverse childhood experiences and later health childhood experiences and later health problems. In my opinion they have made it problems. In my opinion they have made it inevitable that we the next decade has a inevitable that we the next decade has a constant focus on babies in war.constant focus on babies in war.

CHILD-BRAIN-PROTECTIONCHILD-BRAIN-PROTECTION

THE USE-DEPENDENT THE USE-DEPENDENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAINDEVELOPMENT OF THE BRAIN

BORN WITH MORE THAN ONE BILLION BORN WITH MORE THAN ONE BILLION NERVE CELLSNERVE CELLS

ONLY 10-15% CONNECTED AT BIRTHONLY 10-15% CONNECTED AT BIRTH EACH CELL MAY HAVE 15000 CONNECTIONSEACH CELL MAY HAVE 15000 CONNECTIONS HAS TO BE FORMATTED BY EXPERIENCESHAS TO BE FORMATTED BY EXPERIENCES

””There is nothing more biologocal than experiences”There is nothing more biologocal than experiences”

Bruce Perry, University of TexasBruce Perry, University of Texas

REPAIRING THE BRAINREPAIRING THE BRAIN WE ALL HAVE AN AFRICAN BRAINWE ALL HAVE AN AFRICAN BRAIN WE MAY ALL GET A PTSDWE MAY ALL GET A PTSD POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDERPOST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER WE MAY ALL BE HELPEDWE MAY ALL BE HELPED THE MAIN ROAD IS THE LANGUAGETHE MAIN ROAD IS THE LANGUAGE TALKING MEDICINETALKING MEDICINE NEW METHODS ARE IN THE MAKINGNEW METHODS ARE IN THE MAKING EVEN METHODS FOR REMOTE REPAIREVEN METHODS FOR REMOTE REPAIR NEUROSEQUENTIAL MODEL OF NEUROSEQUENTIAL MODEL OF

THERAPEUTICS – NMT - (Bruce Perry, 2009)THERAPEUTICS – NMT - (Bruce Perry, 2009)

IMPORTANT REFERENCESIMPORTANT REFERENCES

Bruce D. Perry:Bruce D. Perry:Examining Child maltreatment Examining Child maltreatment ThroughaNeurodevelopmental Lens: Clinical ThroughaNeurodevelopmental Lens: Clinical Applications of the Neurosequential Model of Applications of the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics.Therapeutics.Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14:240-255, 2009Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14:240-255, 2009

Sprang R. et al.:Sprang R. et al.:Translating Neurodevelopment into Practice: Translating Neurodevelopment into Practice: How to go from fMRI to Home visit. How to go from fMRI to Home visit. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14:325-346, 2009Journal of Loss and Trauma, 14:325-346, 2009

BECOMING A CHILD SOLDIERBECOMING A CHILD SOLDIER

A SHORT REPORT BASED ON A SHORT REPORT BASED ON PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

WITH CHILD COMBATANTS INWITH CHILD COMBATANTS IN

UGANDA, SUDAN, MOSAMBIQUE, UGANDA, SUDAN, MOSAMBIQUE, SOMALIA, SIERRA LEONE, LIBERIA, SOMALIA, SIERRA LEONE, LIBERIA, ANGOLA, RWANDA, SRI LANKAANGOLA, RWANDA, SRI LANKA

CHILD SOLDIER 2CHILD SOLDIER 2

wanted revenge for specific eventswanted revenge for specific events enrolled by desperationenrolled by desperation a gun is a meal ticketa gun is a meal ticket was attractive as recruits/a needed personwas attractive as recruits/a needed person children among the first to join (Liberia)children among the first to join (Liberia) schools destroyed/closed/dangerousschools destroyed/closed/dangerous

CHILD SOLDIER 3CHILD SOLDIER 3

coerced participationcoerced participation round-up/forced/abductedround-up/forced/abducted children preferred as combatants (Renamo)children preferred as combatants (Renamo) more brutal than adult soldiersmore brutal than adult soldiers more obedient/easier to commandmore obedient/easier to command street children more easy to recruitstreet children more easy to recruit

CHILD SOLDIER 4CHILD SOLDIER 4

manipulative as pressuremanipulative as pressure participation/joining was an anti-depressantparticipation/joining was an anti-depressant gave sense of identity/nationalismgave sense of identity/nationalism schools were also recruiting/training centersschools were also recruiting/training centers declining school systemdeclining school system militarized refugee campsmilitarized refugee camps had witnessed extreme violence/traumatizedhad witnessed extreme violence/traumatized desire to take control over eventsdesire to take control over events

CHILD SOLDIER 5CHILD SOLDIER 5

obtained long term subsistence/survivalobtained long term subsistence/survival the route: poverty-social injustice-recruitingthe route: poverty-social injustice-recruiting the better of only bad alternativesthe better of only bad alternatives being an orphan/Ugandabeing an orphan/Uganda protected at the shooting side of the gunprotected at the shooting side of the gun siblings tell attractive stories about camp lifesiblings tell attractive stories about camp life peer-group pressure to joinpeer-group pressure to join join for a cause; ideology and indoctrinationjoin for a cause; ideology and indoctrination

THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR TIMEOUR TIME

ESTABLISHING THE GLOBAL EMPATHYESTABLISHING THE GLOBAL EMPATHY WHO DID IT?WHO DID IT? THE JOURNALISTSTHE JOURNALISTS THE HAND HELD CAMERATHE HAND HELD CAMERA STAYING BEHINDSTAYING BEHIND TELLING THE STORYTELLING THE STORY