The rebel war in Sierra Leone has affected the lives of thousands of children through constant displacement, exposure to abduction and abuse, loss of family members and continuous violations of their basic human rights. Over 10,000 children have been separated from their families, including some 5,000 who have been abducted and conscripted into the armed forces. Thousands await reunification with their families and communities.

The Child Protection Network, coordinated from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, is supported by UNICEF and NGOs. It has developed programmes to address the needs of separated children, to reintegrate children associated with the fighting forces and tackle violations of children’s rights. This network is linked with family tracing and reunification and settlement systems for refugees/internally displaced people in Liberia and Guinea as part of a wider subregional network.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the basis for all activities in relation to protecting children. The dissemination, monitoring and implementation of the Convention will be carried out at all levels. Monitoring and reporting gross violations against children will be done through a network of community-based programmes.

UNICEF’s work to protect children in Sierra Leone has three main aims:

1. To ensure that the rights of all the children caught up in the war are respected and fulfilled.

2. To reunite and reintegrate all separated children, including children who have been abducted or conscripted into the fighting forces.

3. To provide psychosocial support for all war-affected children and help communities understand the special support needs of these children.

• Advocating for the release of children abducted and conscripted by the fighting forces and for the Government to adopt policies developed by the child protection agencies. UNICEF is also involved when children are demobilised from the fighting forces.

• Raising awareness of children’s rights through community programmes, and reporting on gross child rights violations.

• Supporting emergency care centres, foster families and group homes where children can go while their families are being traced and contacted.

• Psychosocial programmes for children affected by war.

• Family tracing and reunification for all separated children.

• Community and family reintegration: education, skills training, income-generating programmes, access to health care.

• Supporting programmes for sexually abused children, as well as counselling, medical services and programmes for child mothers.

• Programmes for children on the street: drop-in centres, training, access to education, tracing, family mediation and legal aid.

• Working with the Government to strengthen its capacity for monitoring programmes for children, develop polices and strategies and review existing legislation.

Visit the UK Committee for UNICEF website for more information about UNICEF and details of how to make a donation.