War Child UK Challenge

War Child UK War Child is providing life-changing support to the most vulnerable children whose families, communities and schools have been torn apart by war. They create safe spaces where children can escape from battlefields or dangers of life on the streets They get children in to school after conflict or poverty has cost them a chance of having an education They help young people and their families to learn vocational skills They support children in getting their voices heard

All children take part in active combat. First stereotype All children recruted into the armed forces take part in active comabat. All children take part in active combat.

Child Soldiers The Full Picture

Not all children are engaged in active combat. Child Soldiers Not the whole story… There is more to the situation than that Not all children are engaged in active combat.

What else are children used for by fighting forces? As porters - carrying As cooks As spies or decoys. As wives and mothers As sex slaves

All Children are fighting for Second Stereotype All Children are fighting for

Rebel Groups only Not the whole story… Government Forces too

Rebel groups use child soldiers often to fight the government. Governments use child soldiers in armed conflict. Some countries actively recruit children as young as 7. There are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers. Somalia, Sudan, Colombia, sri lanka

Countries Where Child Soldiers Exist Today Country   Country Burma Sri Lanka Iraq Afghanistan Colombia DRC Who is Recruiting Burma’s National Army Rebel Forces Insurgent groups Taliban Militias Guerrilla Forces Government and Rebel Forces Est. Numbers 70,000 6,000 Unknown 14,000 30,000

All child soldiers are abducted or forced into conflicts. Third Stereotype All child soldiers are abducted or forced into conflicts. All child soldiers are abducted or forced into conflicts.

Abducted or forced conscription Not the whole story… Some children are recruited voluntarily.

Why join? Paid Promises of a better life. Revenge Prestige/ honour No other choice.

Why abduct children? Easier to brainwash Easier to coerce Torments local community Dispensable. But some are abudcted.

All child soldiers are boys. Fourth stereotype All child soldiers are male. All child soldiers are boys.

Just boys Many girls too Not the whole story… 20-30% of children abducted in Northern Uganda are girls and they are forced into a life of servitude. 40% of all soldiers are female. 2% recognised in demobilization Life for girls particularly hard because of the shame attached to what happened to them. Often find it difficult if they do return to their communities. Because they are less visible they often get ignored after the conflict. Many girls too

40% of all child soldiers are female. Life for girls particularly hard because of the shame attached to what happens to them. They often find it difficult if they do return to their communities because they are less visible they often get ignored after the conflict.

All Child Soldiers Kill. Fifth stereotype All have killed people. All Child Soldiers Kill.

It varies from conflict to conflict Everyone kills Not the whole story… It varies from conflict to conflict

But all of the children are likely to suffer trauma and abuse. They have to deal with malnutrition and exposure to drug taking. Violence is a part of their daily life, they are often forced to kill and will see and be forced to do horrific things.

Pros and cons Sense of belonging Status and power Livelihood Ostracised from family and community These children return from the war battle-scarred and unwelcome. They do not bring the money back that they are expected to bring (they haven’t been paid). They are viewed as dangerous, as an economic burden and live – literally – on the margins of their communities. Many people in their communities believe they are the responsibility of international organisations and blame them directly for bringing insecurity and crime. Beni's Story: ex-Child Soldiers In The DRC Beni was conscripted into a militia group when he was eleven as part of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has killed four million people – the single largest loss of life since the Second World War. He is now sixteen. These are his words. I cannot forget what I have seen, what I have heard and what I have done. Life has always been a struggle. Sometimes my parents could not feed us all. But even when we went hungry I can remember playing as a small boy. Happy times. But all that came to an end during the war. When I was eleven the soldiers came to my home and made me join the army. They promised to feed me, educate me and train me so that I would have a job for life. And they promised my parents they would pay me in dollars to help support my family while I was gone. So I was taken to the frontline and given a gun. As a younger one, I was always sent ahead of the grown up soldiers to draw the fire away from them. When we were not fighting, our job was to carry heavy loads for the soldiers. It was tough work and I was always falling ill. I was always hungry. As I got a little older they made me take many girls. They said it would make me powerful, bullet proof. I fell in love with Marie Agathe. We have a son now. He is a handsome boy. His name is Moise. Last year, when War Child helped to negotiate my release I came back home with Marie Agathe and Moise. But it’s difficult for me. I was never paid or trained. I never received any education. I still can’t read. Many friends who returned with me are now stealing to make a living. No one trusts us. They think that we’re all bandits. They are always trying to push us out of the community. When the aid agencies come they never see us. Sometimes I think that I’m invisible. I love Marie Agathe and want to marry her properly. I love Moise and want to make sure that he goes to school and eats every day. But I don’t want to mug people and steal from them. How can I look Moise in the eye knowing that I am a thief? How would my community ever accept me if I am hurting people? I want to work, I want to train and start my own business so that I can support my family properly. Beni is now sixteen. During his five years as a child soldier he was often forced at gun point into committing brutality. And yet he still has hope for his future. War Child is helping him start his own business – a market stall selling clothes. A little goes a long way in DRC, so War Child wants to help many more children like Beni Exposure to violence A life that involves drug taking and abuse.

Design a poster or post card The Challenge: Design a poster or post card

The Prize Your poster or post card will be used throughout the UK The design will feature on the War Child UK website and social media Meet the CEO and War Child team in their London HQ Attend a school outreach session Runners up get goodie bags and merchandise The winning design concept will be used on the official War Child UK posters and postcards to promote their Schools Programme throughout the UK. The design will also be featured on the website and social media reaching over 50,000 people. On top of this, the winner will also have the chance to meet the CEO and War Child team at their London headquarters, as well as attend a school outreach session to see their post cards being used by schools. Runners-up will receive War Child goodie bags and merchandise.

Background One billion (1,000,000,000) children affected Many do not live past their 5th birthday BUT… It’s easy to forget how lucky we are, considering there are one billion (1,000,000,000) children affected by conflict across the globe. These children and young adults, many of whom are not so different from you and I, won't even live to see their 5th birthday.

Background War Child UK are doing something about it! They are starting with education Can you help them? But this is not a hopeless situation! War Child UK deliver workshops and assemblies into schools across London to help people see that something can be done to protect child victims of war and give them hope for the future. 

Challenge Details Promote the War Child UK Schools Programme Try to engage young people Eye-catching and thought provoking Encourage people to stop and think Communicate War Child’s work Be a source for positive change War Child UK needs your creative skills and ideas to reach out and inspire a generation into action. They’re looking for you to design poster and/or postcard to promote the War Child UK Schools Programme with a particular focus on engaging young people. The posters should be eye-catching and thought provoking and encourage young people to stop and think about issues affecting children in conflict areas. The poster should communicate War Child’s work and be a source for positive change.

Submission Components Poster or post card 200 word explanation: What’s the inspiration behind your design? How will the poster or post card support work of War Child? Each submission should also be accompanied by a short paragraph (maximum 200 words) explaining the inspiration behind each design and how it supports the work of War Child UK.