ECOWAS leaders resolve problem of war-affected children

Accra, April 27, GNA - West African governments have resolved to a combat the problem of war-affected children in an integrated manner.

This is contained in a document on sub-regional measures towards addressing the problem, titled "ECOWAS and the protection of war-affected children," adopted in Abuja, Nigeria, this month.

According to the document released in Accra during a two-day conference on war-affected children in West Africa, the foreign ministers identified problems facing children after conflicts as those of deprivation of education, training and culture, which make them less productive to society.

They have, therefore, called on all warlords to immediately demobilise children below the age of 18 in their custody, to allow them access to appropriate reintegration structures made available by ECOWAS.

Efforts are also being made to build and strengthen drug control capabilities of countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau, where drug abuse was identified as a major causal factor of the grave armed conflicts those countries went through.

The two-day conference would discuss issues such as the role of the military in protection of war-affected children, restoring health to war-affected children and implementing norms and standards for war-affected children at national, regional and international levels.

Participants have resolved to produce a document, which will set out in concrete terms how to implement the several recommendations and conventions on the rights of children and war-affected children specifically, with the view to taking practical steps to address the problem.